View source for Cabinet of Rajyaghar

{{Region icon Kylaris}} [[Category:Rajyaghar]] [[Category:Politics of Rajyaghar]]
{{Infobox government agency
| name                 = Ashta Pradhan
| native_name          = Cabinet of Rajyaghar
| native_name_a        = 
| native_name_r        = 
| seal                 = GovernmentSealRajyaghar.png
| seal_width           = 150
| seal_caption         = Government Seal
| logo                 = 
| logo_width           = 
| logo_caption         = 
| image                = 
| image_size           = 
| image_caption        = 
| formed               = October 1946
| preceding1           = Satria Etrurianan Colonial Administration
| dissolved            = 
| superseding1         = 
| jurisdiction         = Government of [[Rajyaghar]]
| headquarters         = Government Hill, [[Kinadica]]
| coordinates          = <!-- {{coord|LATITUDE|LONGITUDE|type:landmark_region:US|display=inline,title}} -->
| motto                = ''"Jai Maharaja"''
| employees            = 18 Ministers
| budget               = 
| minister1_name       = 
| minister1_pfo        = 
| deputyminister1_name = 
| deputyminister1_pfo  = 
| chief1_name          = [[Madhava Thakur]]
| chief1_position      = <br><small>[[Premier of Rajyaghar|Premier]]<small>
| public_protector     = 
| deputy               = 
| keydocument1         = <!-- up to |keydocument6= -->
| website              = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| agency_id            =
| footnotes            = 
| embed                = 
}}
The '''Ashta Pradhan''', or Cabinet of Rajyaghar, is the executive decision-making body of the Government of Rajyaghar. The Ashta Pradhan is a group in the government of Rajyaghar, consisting of the senior Ministers of the Crown, including the ''Great Offices of State'' (Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Treasury and Premier) with the [[Premier of Rajyaghar|Premier]] serving as Chairman.

Officially, the body is called the "Ashta Pradhan", however, in modern times it has become commonplace for the Ashta Pradhan to be called "the {{wp|cabinet (government)|Cabinet}}" or "[Premier's surname] Ministry". The term "Ashta Pradhan" is often used as a {{wp|metonym}} for the Central Union Government and Cabinet, with the term "[[State House]]" being used as a metonym for the Premier and his advisors.

The current Cabinet was nominated by [[Madhava Thakur]] and confirmed by [[Monarchy of Rajyaghar|Maharaja]] [[Krishan VII]] following the 2020 General Election. The incumbent Cabinet is the Third Thakur Ministry, succeeding the Second Thakur Ministry which was formed following the 2015 General Election.

==Membership==

Ministers of the Crown can only be selected from the [[Shahee Sansad]] by the Premier and they fall into one of two categories:
* Secretaries of State
* Ministers of State

Ministers of the Crown who head government departments hold the office of "Secretary of State for [department]" which is often simplified to "Defence Secretary", "Foreign Secretary", etc. There are also "Secretaries of State {{wp|Minister without portfolio|without Portfolio}}" which are senior Ministers of the Crown who do not head a Government Department. These posts exist to allow these individuals, who often have significant party influence, to be in the Ashta Pradhan as only Secretaries of State, not Ministers of State, serve on the Ashta Pradhan. As only Secretaries of State are allowed to serve in the Ashta Pradhan, the role of Premier, which will often not head a government department, is {{wp|ex officio}} the Secretary of State for the Civil Service. In recent years, the Leader of the House and the {{wp|Chief Whip}}, purely parliamentary party-political roles, have attended cabinet as observers, allowing them to plan the legislative aspect of government policy.

Unlike other {{wp|westminster system|Northabbey model}} governments, the Ashta Pradhan of Rajyaghar is not considered to be a "Cabinet of Equals" with the Premier being the "{{wp|Primus inter pares|first among equals}}". Instead, the adapted Rajyani model sees the Premier as a semi-Presidential figure. The presidential ability of the Premier over their cabinet has differed between different cabinets with it depending on the Premier's influence over his party and their political strength.

The Ashta Pradhan is the ultimate decision-making body of the executive with its decisions being implemented either under existing powers of the executive government or by {{wp|Royal prerogative|Royal Decrees}} exercised by the Maharaja on the advice of their Ministers.

==Meetings==
[[file: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with British Prime Minister Theresa May at Hyderabad House.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Premier Thakur and [[Niina Hermansdohter]] at the Ashta Pradhan Building]]
Every week, the Ashta Pradhan meets in the building which bears its name. The first meeting of the Ashta Pradhan each month, however, is held at the [[Royal Palace of Kinadica|Royal Palace]] with the Maharaja presiding over the meeting. This meeting often sets out the agenda for the month ahead, reviews the progress of the government in the prior month and is also when most Royal Decrees are signed by the Maharaja on the advice of their Ministers. Meetings of the Ashta Pradhan are confidential with the transcripts, which often have redactions, being released to the public after 15 years. The monthly meeting held at the Royal Palace is not transcribed to ensure the perception of impartiality of the Maharaja.

The Ashta Pradhan building also plays host to foreign dignitaries during {{wp|state visit|official and working visits}} due to the {{wp|palace|palatial architectural style}} of the building and its ability to hold bilateral and multilateral meetings in its large conference rooms. The grounds of the building are also large enough for Honour Guards to be inspected by foreign dignitaries during their visits. The building is located on the Rajpath on Government Hill in Kinadica.

==Great Offices of State==

The Great Offices of State refer to the five most senior government positions:
# Premier
# Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
# Secretary of State for Defence
# Secretary of State for Home Affairs
# Secretary of State for the Treasury

Since 2013, following the passage of the Continuity of Government Act (2013), in the case of incapacity or death of the Premier, the duties of the Premier fall to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs automatically. Due to the Maharaja being the only one who can appoint a Premier, the Foreign Secretary does not become Premier nor acting Premier, but they obtain several duties pertaining to national security and chairmanship over the government. In the event that the Foreign Secretary is incapacitated or unable to perform these duties, the above line of precedence is followed. If the Secretary of State for the Treasury is unable to perform these duties, the Maharaja shall assume the duties them-self.

===Current Great Officers of State===

Here is a gallery of the incumbent Great Officers of State:
{{Gallery
| title        = Great Officers of State
| align        = center
| footer       = 
| style        = 
| state        =
| height       =
| width        = 150
| captionstyle =
| File: Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on August 08, 2019 (cropped).jpg
 | alt1= 
 | Madhava Thakur<br>Premier
| File: Nirmala Sitharaman addressing at the inauguration of the 2nd Edition of the Global Exhibition on Services-2016 (GES), at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh (cropped).jpg
 | alt2=
 | Raksha Shangavi<br>Foreign Secretary
| File: The Chairperson, National Advisory Council, Smt. Sonia Gandhi with the King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the Bhutan Queen, Her Majesty Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, in New Delhi on January 07, 2014 (cropped).jpg
 | alt3=
 | Payal Joshi<br>Defence Secretary
| File: Hon'ble Justice Ranjan Gogoi.jpg
 | alt4=
 | Santosh Mudaliyar<br>Home Secretary
| File: India-eam-krishna.jpg
 | alt5=
 | Kaylash Bapodra<br>Treasury Secretary
}}

==Current Composition==
{{Infobox government cabinet
| cabinet_name            = Third Thakur Ministry
| cabinet_type            = Ministry
| cabinet_number          = 24th
| jurisdiction            = [[Rajyaghar]]
| flag                    = RajyagharFlag.png
| flag_border             = false
| incumbent               = Incumbent
| image                   = GovernmentSealRajyaghar.png
| caption                 = Seal of the Government of Rajyaghar
| date_formed             = {{Start date|2020|09|15|df=y}}
| date_dissolved          = 
| government_head         = [[Madhava Thakur]]
| government_head_history = 
| deputy_government_head  = 
| state_head              = [[Krishan VII]]
| members_number          = 18 (+ 3 observers)
| former_members_number   = 
| total_number            = 21
| political_party         = [[Rajyani Rashtriya Party]] (RRP)<br>[[Liberal Party (Rajyaghar)|Udāramātāvāḍī]] (LP)
| legislature_status      = Majority
| opposition_cabinet      = {{wp|loyal opposition|HM's Loyal Opposition}}
| opposition_party        = [[Cooperative Party]]
| opposition_leader       = <!-- or | opposition_leaders = -->
| election                = 2020 General Election
| legislature_term        = [[Shahee Sansad|24th Shahee Sansad]]
| budget                  = March 2020 Budget
| predecessor             = 2nd Thakur Ministry
| successor               = 
}}
The current composition of the Ashta Pradhan as of the 2020 General Election is as follows:
{{Cabinet table start|hiderefcol=y}}
{{Cabinet table ministry|'''Head of Government'''}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = [[Premier of Rajyaghar]]<br>Secretary of State for the Civil Service
 | minister1              = [[Madhava Thakur]]
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2010
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table ministry|'''Secretaries of State'''}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = First Secretary of State
 | minister1              = Arjun Misra
 | minister1_termstart    = February 2016
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Liberal Party (Rajyaghar)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Home Affairs
 | minister1              = Santosh Mudaliyar
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2010
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
 | minister1              = Raksha Shangavi
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2010
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Defence
 | minister1              = Payal Joshi
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2015
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Liberal Party (Rajyaghar)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for the Treasury
 | minister1              = Kaylash Bapodra
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2010
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Justice
 | minister1              = Rahul Vadekar
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2015
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for the Security Services
 | minister1              = Govind Gupta
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2015
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Transportation
 | minister1              = Anil Malhotra
 | minister1_termstart    = December 2019
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Liberal Party (Rajyaghar)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Infrastructure
 | minister1              = Vaibhav Dalavi
 | minister1_termstart    = December 2019
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Clan and Local Affairs
 | minister1              = Mamta Bakshi
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2015
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Agriculture
 | minister1              = Bheem Tripathi
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2015
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for the Health Service
 | minister1              = Kishen Odedra
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2015
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Liberal Party (Rajyaghar)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for the Environment
 | minister1              = Anushka Satavelekar
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2015
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Liberal Party (Rajyaghar)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Education
 | minister1              = Naveen Badakar
 | minister1_termstart    = April 2018
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Trade
 | minister1              = Rahul Jogalekar
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2015
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Housing
 | minister1              = Aditi Kusari
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2010
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Secretary of State for Sport and Culture
 | minister1              = Amish Ghandi
 | minister1_termstart    = September 2020
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table ministry|'''Also attending meetings of the Ashta Pradhan'''}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Leader of the House
 | minister1              = Mahadaji Randhawa
 | minister1_termstart    = August 2016
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Government Chief Whip
 | minister1              = Pranav Bajpeyi
 | minister1_termstart    = August 2016
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Rajyani Rashtriya Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
 | title                  = Deputy Chief Whip
 | minister1              = Lalita Doshi
 | minister1_termstart    = February 2016
 | minister1_termend      = 
 | minister1_party        = Liberal Party (Rajyaghar)
}}
{{Cabinet table end}}

{{Rajyaghar}}