Cabinet of Rajyaghar

Ashta Pradhan

Cabinet of Rajyaghar
Government Seal
Agency overview
Formed	October 1946
Preceding agency	Satria Etrurianan Colonial Administration
Jurisdiction	Government of Rajyaghar
Headquarters	Government Hill, Kinadica
Motto	"Jai Maharaja"
Employees	18 Ministers
Agency executive	Madhava Thakur, Premier

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 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 Cabinet" or "[Premier's surname] Ministry". The term "Ashta Pradhan" is often used as a 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 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 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 ex officio the Secretary of State for the Civil Service. In recent years, the Leader of the House and the Chief Whip, purely parliamentary party-political roles, have attended cabinet as observers, allowing them to plan the legislative aspect of government policy.

Unlike other Northabbey model governments, the Ashta Pradhan of Rajyaghar is not considered to be a "Cabinet of Equals" with the Premier being the "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 Royal Decrees exercised by the Maharaja on the advice of their Ministers.

Meetings

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 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 official and working visits due to the 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:

1. Premier
2. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
3. Secretary of State for Defence
4. Secretary of State for Home Affairs
5. 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:

Great Officers of State

• 

  Madhava Thakur
  Premier

• 

  Raksha Shangavi
  Foreign Secretary

• 

  Payal Joshi
  Defence Secretary

• 

  Santosh Mudaliyar
  Home Secretary

• 

  Kaylash Bapodra
  Treasury Secretary

Current Composition

Third Thakur Ministry
24th Ministry of Rajyaghar
Incumbent
Seal of the Government of Rajyaghar
Date formed	15 September 2020 (2020-09-15)
People
Head of state	Krishan VII
Head of government	Madhava Thakur
No. of ministers	18 (+ 3 observers)
Total no. of members	21
Member party	Rajyani Rashtriya Party (RRP) Udāramātāvāḍī (LP)
Status in legislature	Majority
Opposition cabinet	HM's Loyal Opposition
Opposition party	Cooperative Party
History
Election(s)	2020 General Election
Legislature term(s)	24th Shahee Sansad
Budget(s)	March 2020 Budget
Predecessor	2nd Thakur Ministry

The current composition of the Ashta Pradhan as of the 2020 General Election is as follows:

Portfolio	Minister	Took office	Left office	Party
Head of Government
Premier of Rajyaghar Secretary of State for the Civil Service		Madhava Thakur	September 2010	Incumbent	RRP
Secretaries of State
First Secretary of State		Arjun Misra	February 2016	Incumbent	LP
Secretary of State for Home Affairs		Santosh Mudaliyar	September 2010	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs		Raksha Shangavi	September 2010	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for Defence		Payal Joshi	September 2015	Incumbent	LP
Secretary of State for the Treasury		Kaylash Bapodra	September 2010	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for Justice		Rahul Vadekar	September 2015	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for the Security Services		Govind Gupta	September 2015	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for Transportation		Anil Malhotra	December 2019	Incumbent	LP
Secretary of State for Infrastructure		Vaibhav Dalavi	December 2019	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for Clan and Local Affairs		Mamta Bakshi	September 2015	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for Agriculture		Bheem Tripathi	September 2015	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for the Health Service		Kishen Odedra	September 2015	Incumbent	LP
Secretary of State for the Environment		Anushka Satavelekar	September 2015	Incumbent	LP
Secretary of State for Education		Naveen Badakar	April 2018	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for Trade		Rahul Jogalekar	September 2015	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for Housing		Aditi Kusari	September 2010	Incumbent	RRP
Secretary of State for Sport and Culture		Amish Ghandi	September 2020	Incumbent	RRP
Also attending meetings of the Ashta Pradhan
Leader of the House		Mahadaji Randhawa	August 2016	Incumbent	RRP
Government Chief Whip		Pranav Bajpeyi	August 2016	Incumbent	RRP
Deputy Chief Whip		Lalita Doshi	February 2016	Incumbent	LP