# Telangana Council of Ministers
The Telangana Council of Ministers is the executive body of the [Government of Telangana](https://www.edgepedia.org/government-of-telangana), headed by the Chief Minister and appointed by the Governor to aid and advise him in exercising the state's executive power under Article 163 of the [Constitution of India](https://www.edgepedia.org/constitution-of-india).[1](https://governor.telangana.gov.in/roleofgovernor.do) The current council serves under Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy of the [Indian National Congress](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-national-congress), who took office on 7 December 2023 after his party won the 2023 Legislative Assembly election.[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/) • [3](https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-chief-ministers-of-telangana-1631700985-1)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Constitutional basis | Article 163 creates a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor; Article 164 makes it collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly[1](https://governor.telangana.gov.in/roleofgovernor.do) |
| Size limit | The Constitution (91st Amendment) Act, 2003 caps the council, including the Chief Minister, at 15% of the assembly's strength; for Telangana's 119-member assembly this is 18 ministers[4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/t10-feb-19-2019/how-many-ministers-does-it-take-to-run-a-government/articleshow/68051049.cms) |
| Chief Minister | Anumula Revanth Reddy (Indian National Congress), Kodangal; holds Municipal Administration and Urban Development, General Administration, Law & Order, and all unallocated portfolios[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/) |
| Deputy Chief Minister | Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, Finance & Planning and Energy, from Madhira (SC)[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/) |
| Current strength | The officially published portfolio table lists fifteen ministers[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/) |
| Growth since 2023 | The cabinet has expanded since its December 2023 formation, with several ministers inducted through 2025–26[5](https://netadirectory.in/telangana.html) |
| Predecessor | K. Chandrashekar Rao of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi held the office from 2 June 2014 to 3 December 2023[3](https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-chief-ministers-of-telangana-1631700985-1) |
## Constitutional position
Under Article 163, the [Governor](https://www.edgepedia.org/governor-india), as the constitutional head of the state, exercises all powers under the Constitution on the aid and advice of the [Council of Ministers](https://www.edgepedia.org/council-of-ministers), except in matters where the Constitution requires the Governor to act in his discretion, such as sending a report to the President under Article 356.[1](https://governor.telangana.gov.in/roleofgovernor.do) The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor, and the other ministers are appointed by the Governor on the Chief Minister's advice; ministers hold office during the Governor's pleasure, and a minister who is not a member of the state legislature for six consecutive months ceases to be a minister.[1](https://governor.telangana.gov.in/roleofgovernor.do) The council is collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly.[1](https://governor.telangana.gov.in/roleofgovernor.do)
The size of the council is constitutionally bounded. Before the 91st Amendment came into effect on 1 January 2004, there was no limit, and state ministries had grown very large; at one point Bihar had 76 ministers, [Maharashtra](https://www.edgepedia.org/maharashtra) 69, and [Uttar Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/uttar-pradesh) 93.[6](https://www.delhihighcourt.nic.in/web/sites/default/files/reports/second_administrative_reforms_commission_fifteenth_report_state_and_district_administration.pdf) The amendment fixed the ceiling at 15% of the strength of the legislative assembly, which for Telangana's 119-seat house means the cabinet, including the Chief Minister, cannot exceed 18 ministers.[4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/t10-feb-19-2019/how-many-ministers-does-it-take-to-run-a-government/articleshow/68051049.cms) • [7](https://www.deccanchronicle.com/140518/nation-politics/article/18-ministers-telangana-state)
## Current composition
The officially published portfolio table on the Telangana State Portal lists fifteen ministers.[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/) Besides the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, the portfolios are distributed as follows:
- **Nalamada Uttam Kumar Reddy** (Huzurnagar): [Irrigation](https://www.edgepedia.org/irrigation) & CAD; Food & Civil Supplies[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Damodar Rajanarasimha** (Andole, SC): Health, Medical & Family Welfare; Science and Technology[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Komatireddy Venkat Reddy** (Nalgonda): Roads & Buildings; [Cinematography](https://www.edgepedia.org/cinematography)[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Duddilla Sridhar Babu** (Manthani): Information Technology, Electronics & Communications; Industries & Commerce; Legislative Affairs[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy** (Palair): Revenue and Housing; [Information](https://www.edgepedia.org/information) & Public Relations[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Ponnam Prabhakar** (Husnabad): Transport; BC Welfare[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **D. Anasuya Seethakka** (Mulug, ST): Panchayat Raj & Rural Development, including Rural Water Supply; Women & Child Welfare[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Tummala Nageswara Rao** (Khammam): Agriculture, Marketing, Co-operation; Handlooms & Textiles[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Jupally Krishna Rao** (Kollapur): Prohibition & Excise; Tourism & Culture; Archaeology[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Gaddam Vivek Venkat Swamy** (Chennur): Labour, Employment, Training, and Factories; Mines and Geology[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Adluri Laxman Kumar** (Dharmapuri): Scheduled Castes Development, Tribal Welfare, and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Senior Citizens and Transgender persons[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Vakiti Srihari** (Makthal): Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries; Sports and Youth Services[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
- **Mohammed Azharuddin**: Minorities Welfare; Public Enterprises[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
The constituency labels in the table show representation spread across reserved categories, with seats marked SC (Scheduled Caste) and ST (Scheduled Tribe) held by Bhatti Vikramarka, Damodar Rajanarasimha, Seethakka, and [Adluri Laxman Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/adluri-laxman-kumar).[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
## Formation and expansion since 2023
The 2023 election ended the government led by [K. Chandrashekar Rao](https://www.edgepedia.org/k-chandrashekar-rao), and Anumula Revanth Reddy took office as Chief Minister on 7 December 2023.[3](https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-chief-ministers-of-telangana-1631700985-1) The cabinet has since grown, with several ministers inducted through 2025–26, and the officially published portfolio table now lists fifteen names.[5](https://netadirectory.in/telangana.html) • [2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/) A civic directory compiled from the government portal additionally lists Konda Surekha with the [Environment](https://www.edgepedia.org/environment) & Forests and Endowments portfolios from Warangal East, a name that does not appear in the portal's current table; the two lists otherwise agree on the core portfolios.[5](https://netadirectory.in/telangana.html) • [2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/) Reporting in 2026 also noted three vacant cabinet posts at that time, consistent with the council sitting below its 18-minister ceiling.[8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A7Kxes5PBw)
## Predecessor councils
Telangana was carved out of [Andhra Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/andhra-pradesh) on 2 June 2014 under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, and K. Chandrashekar Rao of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi was sworn in as the state's first Chief Minister that day.[3](https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-chief-ministers-of-telangana-1631700985-1) • [9](https://time.com/2807887/india-new-state-telangana/) He won the 2014 and 2018 elections and held the office until 3 December 2023, making him the state's only Chief Minister for its first nine and a half years.[3](https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-chief-ministers-of-telangana-1631700985-1)
One episode in that period illustrates the flexibility of the council's formation. After his December 2018 victory, Rao went more than two months without forming a council of ministers, running the state virtually single-handed in what was described as perhaps the first instance in independent India of a Chief Minister governing without ministers for so long, even as the 15% ceiling constrained other chief ministers from expanding their cabinets.[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/On-the-bounce/no-country-for-ministers-kcr-has-just-another-minister-in-telangana-the-cm-runs-the-state-virtually-alone/)
## References
1. [Functions and Duties of the Governor, Raj Bhavan Telangana](https://governor.telangana.gov.in/roleofgovernor.do)
2. [Council of Ministers, Telangana State Portal](https://www.telangana.gov.in/government/council-of-ministers/)
3. [List of Chief Ministers of Telangana (2014–2023), Jagran Josh](https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-chief-ministers-of-telangana-1631700985-1)
4. [How many ministers does it take to run a government?, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/t10-feb-19-2019/how-many-ministers-does-it-take-to-run-a-government/articleshow/68051049.cms)
5. [Telangana — The India Directory](https://netadirectory.in/telangana.html)
6. [Second Administrative Reforms Commission, Fifteenth Report: State and District Administration](https://www.delhihighcourt.nic.in/web/sites/default/files/reports/second_administrative_reforms_commission_fifteenth_report_state_and_district_administration.pdf)
7. [18 ministers for Telangana state, Deccan Chronicle](https://www.deccanchronicle.com/140518/nation-politics/article/18-ministers-telangana-state)
8. [Three Vacant Cabinet Posts In Telangana, V6 News](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A7Kxes5PBw)
9. [Close on the Heels of a New Government, India Gets a New State, TIME](https://time.com/2807887/india-new-state-telangana/)
10. [No country for ministers: KCR runs the state virtually alone, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/On-the-bounce/no-country-for-ministers-kcr-has-just-another-minister-in-telangana-the-cm-runs-the-state-virtually-alone/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Prime ministers, cabinets, and ministries › Prime ministers of South Asia*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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