Deputy Prime Minister of Vishwamitra

Deputy Prime Minister of Vishwamitra विश्वामित्र के उप-प्रधानमंत्री
Coat of arms of Vishwamitra
Incumbent Princess Sarala since 31 July 2022 Arthur Lacey-Scott since 26 November 2022
Government of Vishwamitra
Member of	Cabinet Cabinet Committee on Security Lok Sabha
Reports to	Prime Minister
Appointer	Rashtradhyaksh on the advice of the Prime Minister
Term length	At the pleasure of the Rashtradhyaksh
Formation	15 April 2007; 16 years ago
First holder	Dhrubajyoti Roy

The Deputy Prime Minister of Vishwamitra (Hindi: विश्वामित्र के उप-प्रधानमंत्री) is the second highest ranking minister of the Union of the Government of Vishwamitra and is a senior member of the union council of ministers. The office holder occassionally deputises for the prime minister in their absence.

The office was first created on 15 April 2007 in the cabinet of Arnisha Phatowali for Dhrubajyoti Roy who served as the deputy prime minister between 2007 and 2009. The office has since then been only intermittently occupied. The position remained vacant following the resignation of Arnisha Phatowali in December 2009 till the re-introduction of the office by prime minister Dhrubajyoti Roy when he formed his third ministry in April 2016 appointing Anoushkaa Patranabish as his deputy.

The current deputy prime minister is Princess Sarala who was appointed on 31 July 2022 by Prime Minister Farhaz Hazarika in his third cabinet replacing Rory McPhail who had stepped down the previous day. On 26 November 2022, Arthur Lacey-Scott was appointed as the second deputy prime minister.

History

The position of deputy prime minister was first introduced by the first prime minister Arnisha Phatowali on 15 April 2007 who had appointed Dhrubajyoti Roy as her deputy who would then succeed her as prime minister and as well as National leader. Following the appointment and subsequent election of Dhrubajyoti Roy as prime minister in January 2010, the position of deputy prime minister ceased to exist despite possibility for Tanishkaa Patranabish to be named as his deputy.

The position would remain unused for the next 6 years until being re-introduced on 11 April 2016 by prime minister Dhrubajyoti Roy following his return as prime minister. He appointed Anoushkaa Patranabish as deputy prime minister and also as the Minister of Sanitation and Cleanliness Campaign. Following her election as the president on 2 October 2016, she was replaced by her elder sister and her presidential predecessor Tanishkaa Patranabish who remained as deputy prime minister till February 2017. In February 2017, Tanishkaa Patranabish was removed from the cabinet and Abhiraj Kar was appointed as her successor. Following the collapse of the coalition between the Secular Party and the Independent Party in April 2017, Sarala Baishya became the prime minister and she appointed her coalition party leader Arnab Sil as the deputy prime minister.

In July 2017, the general election resulted in a hung parliament with the Secular Party emerging as the single-largest party winning fifteen of the thirty seats of the parliament. President Dhrubajyoti Roy invited the leader of the single largest party Tanishkaa Patranabish to form the government and become prime minister and advised her to form an all-party government with the respective leaders of the other two parties - Sarala Baishya and Arnab Sil being appointed as her deputies. It was for the first time that two deputy premiers were appointed. In December the same year, Dhrubajyoti Roy became the prime minister and appointed outgoing prime minister Tanishkaa Patranabish and Arnab Sil as his deputies. Arnab Sil was later replaced by Asmi Patranabis in March 2018. In the coup-government, Sarala Baishya served as the deputy prime minister being titled as Prime Minister of the Council.

The position was unused again between September 2018 and March 2019. Following the general election of March 2019, Bishnu Chetry and Arnab Sil were appointed as deputy prime ministers who served till July 2019 when they were appointed as inaugural senior ministers. Abhiraj Kar and Asmi Patranabis thereupon succeeded them and remained in office till September 2019. Following Abhiraj Kar's appointed as Governor of Beltola, he was replaced by Ankurjyoti Thakuria as deputy prime minister who served only for a month. Bishnu Chetry and Anoushkaa Patranabish were appointed as deputy prime ministers in October 2019 and continued to serve till March 2020. In the caretaker government of prime minister Anoushkaa Patranabish, Bishnu Chetry and Ankurjyoti Thakuria served as deputy prime minister. Bishnu Chetry, Anoushkaa Patranabish and Arnab Sil served as deputies in the cabinet of Tanishkaa Patranabish between March and April 2020. The position felt vacant following the introduction of executive presidency in May 2020.

In the cabinet of Princess Anoushkaa, she appointed Prince Abhiraj as her deputy who also briefly discharged the duties of the prime minister in August 2020. In the caretaker government of Stefan Marius Snagoveanu, Liam Alexander was initially appointed as deputy prime minister however he resigned within hours of appointment and was succeeded by David Augustus. The position again felt vacant till 18 June 2021 when Farhaz Hazarika and Michal Nowacki were appointed as deputy prime ministers. Hazarika went on to become the next prime minister while Nowacki continued to serve as deputy prime minister.

Within Hazarika's election as prime minister in the November general elections of 2021, he appointed Princess Anoushkaa as his deputy and later also appointed Michal Nowacki as the deputy prime minister who continued to serve till March 2022. The position thereupon felt vacant till May 2022 when Rory McPhail was appointed to the position. He served till July the same year and was replaced by Princess Sarala who is the current deputy prime minister since 31 July 2022.

Role and functions

The deputy prime minister is the second highest ranking minister of the Union of the Government of Vishwamitra and is a senior member of the union council of ministers. Prior to July 2016, the deputy prime minister did not hold any ministerial portfolio, however since then the deputy prime ministers had held significant ministerial portfolios like home affairs, finance, defence, etc. The current deputy prime minister, Princess Sarala holds the portfolio of home affairs, information and public relations.

The prime minister occasionally deputises the prime minister in case of their absence. Prince Abhiraj served as acting prime minister during the period of absence of prime minister Princess Anoushkaa between 20 and 31 July 2020. During that period, he presided over the Installation of Rashtradhyaksh II including reading the proclamation of election of the Rashtradhyaksh and the congratulatory message.

Article 34(6) of the Constitution of Vishwamitra specifies the following:

The Cabinet shall be composed of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, Senior Ministers and Cabinet Ministers for the Union and the total number of members of the Union Cabinet shall not exceed for more than eight members including the Prime Minister.

The same article of the constitution also mentions that

The number of Deputy Prime Ministers at a time shall not exceed more than two.

List of deputy prime ministers

No.	Portrait	Name (born – died) Constituency	Tenure in office			Other ministerial offices held	Political party		Government	Prime Minister
			From	To	Time in office
1		Dhrubajyoti Roy ध्रुबज्योति रॉय (born 2002) Representative	15 April 2007	31 December 2009	7002991000000000000♠2 years, 260 days	Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Sports, and Child Welfare (2007-2008)		Independent	Arnisha	Arnisha Phatowali
Position vacant (1 January 2010 – 11 April 2016)									Dhrubajyoti I	Dhrubajyoti Roy
									Dhrubajyoti II
									Sarala I	Sarala Baishya
										Dhrubajyoti Roy (Acting)
									Tanishkaa I	Tanishkaa Patranabish
									Sarala II	Sarala Baishya
2 (1)		Anoushkaa Patranabish अनुष्का पत्रनबिश (born 2010) MP for Beltola II	11 April 2016	2 October 2016	7002174000000000000♠174 days	Minister of Sanitation and Cleanliness Campaign (Jul-Oct 2016)		Secular Party	Dhrubajyoti III	Dhrubajyoti Roy
3 (1)		Tanishkaa Patranabish तनिष्का पत्रनबिश (born 2004) MP for Beltola	2 October 2016	30 December 2016	7002138000000000000♠138 days	Minister of Finance, Corporate Affairs, and Salaries Minister of Home Affairs, Law and Justice (Nov-Dec 2016)
3 (2)			30 December 2016	17 February 2017		Minister of Home Affairs, Social Justice, and All Party Affairs			Dhrubajyoti IV
4 (1)		Abhiraj Kar अभिराज कर (born 2006) MP for Vinovanagar	17 February 2017	12 April 2017	7001540000000000000♠54 days	Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Group Members Development		Independent Party
5 (1)		Arnab Sil अर्नब सिल (born 2004) MP for Outer Goshala	12 April 2017	5 July 2017	7001840000000000000♠84 days	Minister of Home Affairs, Culture, and States		Freedom Party	Sarala III	Sarala Baishya
6 (1)		Sarala Baishya सरला वैश्य (born 2005) MP for Basant Bahar	5 July 2017	25 December 2017	7002173000000000000♠173 days	Minister of Home Affairs		Independent Party	Tanishkaa II	Tanishkaa Patranabish
5 (2)		Arnab Sil अर्नब सिल (born 2004) MP for Maligaon				Minister of External Affairs		Freedom Party
3 (3)		Tanishkaa Patranabish तनिष्का पत्रनबिश (born 2004) MP for Beltola	25 December 2017	21 March 2018	7001860000000000000♠86 days	Minister of Finance		Secular Party	Dhrubajyoti V	Dhrubajyoti Roy
5 (3)		Arnab Sil अर्नब सिल (born 2004) MP for Maligaon				Minister of External Affairs, Information and Broadcasting		Freedom Party
3 (4)		Tanishkaa Patranabish तनिष्का पत्रनबिश (born 2004) MP for Beltola	21 March 2018	13 May 2018	7001530000000000000♠53 days	Minister of Finance		Secular Party	Dhrubajyoti VI
7 (1)		Asmi Patranabis अस्मी पत्रनाबिस (born 2007) MP for Bhetapara				Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
6 (2)		Sarala Baishya सरला वैश्य (born 2005) MP for Basant Bahar	14 May 2018	11 September 2018	7002120000000000000♠120 days			Congress	Tanishkaa III	Tanishkaa Patranabish
Position vacant (11 September 2018 – 17 March 2019)										Dhrubajyoti Roy
									Dhrubajyoti VII
									Tanishkaa IV	Tanishkaa Patranabish
8 (1)		Bishnu Chetry बिष्णु छेत्री (born 2001) MP for Kalapani	17 March 2019	14 July 2019	7002119000000000000♠119 days	Minister of Home Affairs		Congress	Tanishkaa V
5 (4)		Arnab Sil अर्नब सिल (born 2004) MP for Maligaon				Minister of External Affairs
4 (2)		Abhiraj Kar अभिराज कर (born 2006) MP for Bharat Sevashram	14 July 2019	1 September 2019	7001490000000000000♠49 days	Minister of Public Administration, Cooperation and Regional Development (until Aug 2019) Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Cooperation and Regional Development (from Aug 2019)
7 (2)		Asmi Patranabis अस्मी पत्रनाबिस (born 2007) MP for Bhetapara		29 September 2019	7001770000000000000♠77 days	Minister of Finance Minister of Social Policies (Jul-Aug 2019) Minister of Communications and Technology (Aug-Sep 2019)
9 (1)		Ankurjyoti Thakuria अंकुरज्योति ठाकुरिया (born 2002) Not elected	2 September 2019		7001270000000000000♠27 days	Minister of Communications and Technology Minister of National Development (until Sep 2019) Minister of Home Affairs (from Sep 2019)
2 (2)		Anoushkaa Patranabish अनुष्का पत्रनबिश (born 2010) MP for Basant Bahar	29 September 2019	3 March 2020	7002156000000000000♠156 days	Minister of Finance (until Nov 2019, from Jan 2020) Minister of Home Affairs (Nov-Dec 2019) Minister of External Affairs (Dec 2019-Jan 2020)
8 (2)		Bishnu Chetry बिष्णु छेत्री (born 2001) MP for Kalapani		16 November 2019	7001480000000000000♠48 days	Minister of Home Affairs (until Nov 2019) Minister of External Affairs (from Nov 2019)
8 (3)			10 January 2020	3 March 2020	7001530000000000000♠53 days	Minister of External Affairs, Commonwealth Affairs and International Relations
9 (2)		Ankurjyoti Thakuria अंकुरज्योति ठाकुरिया (born 2002) Not elected	3 March 2020	9 March 2020	7000600000000000000♠6 days	Minister of Finance, Personnel, Appointments and Administrative Reforms		Congress	Anoushkaa I (Caretaker)	Anoushkaa Patranabish
8 (4)		Bishnu Chetry बिष्णु छेत्री (born 2001) Not elected	9 March 2020	22 March 2020	7001130000000000000♠13 days	Minister of Home Affairs
2 (3)		Anoushkaa Patranabish अनुष्का पत्रनबिश (born 2010) MP for Beltola Urban First Deputy Prime Minister	22 March 2020	30 April 2020	7001390000000000000♠39 days	Minister of Home Affairs			Tanishkaa VI	Tanishkaa Patranabish
8 (5)		Bishnu Chetry बिष्णु छेत्री (born 2001) MP for Kalapani Second Deputy Prime Minister				Minister of External Affairs, Health
5 (5)		Arnab Sil अर्नब सिल (born 2004) MP for Maligaon Third Deputy Prime Minister	29 March 2020		7001320000000000000♠32 days	Minister of National Defence (till Apr 2020) Minister of Finance, Planning (from Apr 2020)
Position vacant (1 May – 8 June 2020)									Tanishkaa VII
4 (3)		His Serene Highness Prince Abhiraj वरिष्ठराजकुमार अभिराज (born 2006) MP for Bharat Sevashram	8 June 2020	21 August 2020	7001740000000000000♠74 days	Minister of Home Affairs (8-17 Jun 2020) Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Jun-Aug 2020)		Congress	Anoushkaa II	Princess Anoushkaa
Deputy Prime Minister Senior Prince Abhiraj discharged the functions of the Prime Minister between 21 and 30 August 2020.
4 (3)		His Serene Highness Prince Abhiraj वरिष्ठराजकुमार अभिराज (born 2006) MP for Bharat Sevashram	31 August 2020	28 January 2021	7002150000000000000♠150 days	Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security		Congress	Anoushkaa II	Princess Anoushkaa
10		Liam Alexander लियाम अलेक्जेंडर (born 2005) Not elected	28 January 2021		Less than a day	Minister of Finance and Law and Justice		Royalist Party	Ștefan I (Caretaker)	Ștefan Marius Snagoveanu
11		David Augustus, 1st Duke of Osian डेविड ऑगस्टस (born 2007) Not elected	28 January 2021	1 March 2021	7001320000000000000♠32 days	Minister of Defence, Finance and Law and Justice
Position vacant (1 March – 18 June 2021)									Ștefan II
12		Farhaz Hazarika, 1st Duke of Pragjyotisha फरहाज़ हज़ारिका (born 2003) MP for Basistha City	18 June 2021	11 September 2021	7001850000000000000♠85 days	Minister of Home Affairs Minister of Education (Aug-Sep 2021)		Congress
13 (1)		Michal Nowacki, 1st Duke of Stettin मिशल नोवाकी (born 2003) MP for National Capital Constituency			7002125000000000000♠125 days	Minister of Defence and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister of Cabinet Affairs (Jul-Sep 2021)
13 (2)			11 September 2021	21 October 2021		Minister of Defence and Cabinet Affairs			Farhaz I	Farhaz Hazarika
Position vacant (21 October – 22 November 2021)									Phillip (Caretaker)	Count Phillip Joseph Pillin
2 (3)		Her Royal Highness Princess Anoushkaa राजकन्या अनुष्का (born 2010) MP for Brikshasthana	22 November 2021	17 March 2022	7002115000000000000♠115 days	Minister of Home Affairs and Royal Household Affairs		Congress	Farhaz II	Farhaz Hazarika
13 (3)		Michal Nowacki, 1st Duke of Stettin मिशल नोवाकी (born 2003) Councillor for Kamrupa	31 January 2022		7001450000000000000♠45 days	Minister of External Affairs and Minister-in-charge of Crystal Jubilee Celebration Year
Position vacant (17 March – 12 May 2022)
14		Rory McPhail, 1st Duke of Griffith रोरी मैकफैल (born 2007) MP for Kalapani	12 May 2022	30 July 2022	7001790000000000000♠79 days	Minister of Defence Minister of Law and Justice and Cabinet Affairs (until Jun 2022) Minister of Information and Public Relations (from Jun 2022)		Independent	Farhaz III
6 (3)		Her Royal Highness Princess Sarala युवराजकुमारी सरला (born 2005) Non-elected (until Nov 2022) MP for Rashtra Niwas (from Nov 2022)	30 July 2022	11 November 2022	7002310000000000000♠310 days	Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Relations
6 (4)			11 November 2022	Incumbent		Minister of Home Affairs		Congress	Farhaz IV
15		Maha Sri Arthur Lacey-Scott, Duke Lacey-Scott आर्थर लेसी-स्कॉट (born 2002) MP for Kalapani	26 November 2022	Incumbent	7002191000000000000♠191 days	Minister of National Defence, Parliamentary Affairs, Law and Justice (until Mar 2023) Minister of External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs (from Mar 2023)

Timeline

Time in office

• Longest serving: Dhrubajyoti Roy - 7002991000000000000♠2 years, 260 days
• Shortest serving: Liam Alexander - less than a day

Below is the list of Deputy Prime Ministers by total time in office:

1. Dhrubajyoti Roy - 7002991000000000000♠2 years, 260 days
2. Arnab Sil - 1 year, 129 days
3. Anoushkaa Patranabish - 1 year, 119 days
4. Sarala Baishya - 1 year, 96 days
5. Abhiraj Kar - 327 days
6. Tanishkaa Patranabish - 277 days
7. Bishnu Chetry - 272 days
8. Arthur Lacey-Scott - 7002191000000000000♠191 days
9. Michal Nowacki - 170 days
10. Asmi Patranabis - 130 days
11. Farhaz Hazarika - 7001850000000000000♠85 days
12. Rory McPhail - 7001790000000000000♠79 days
13. Ankurjyoti Thakuria - 33 days
14. David Augustus - 7001320000000000000♠32 days
15. Liam Alexander - less than a day

Trivia

• 15 individuals have served as deputy prime ministers till date, of whom 5 became prime ministers.
• 4 deputy prime ministers, viz. Dhrubajyoti Roy in 2010, Tanishkaa Patranabish in 2018, Anoushkaa Patranabish in 2020, and Farhaz Hazarika in 2021, became prime ministers immediately after serving as deputy prime ministers.
• Prime Minister Tanishkaa Patranabish in her fifth term in office (Mar. 2019 - Mar. 2020) appointed the most number of deputy prime ministers (6), and had the most number of deputy prime ministers at one time (3) in her sixth term (Mar. - Apr. 2020).
• Abhiraj Kar is the only deputy prime minister to serve as acting prime minister (21-30 August 2020).