In the official sense, the cabinet is the highest decision-making body, consisting of the prime minister as its head and 15 to 20 of the most senior ministries. However, a much smaller body known as the 'inner Cabinet' or 'Kitchen Cabinet' has emerged as the true seat of power. This informal organisation is made up of the Prime Minister and two to four influential colleagues in whom he has faith and with whom he can discuss any issue. It advises the prime minister on key political and administrative matters and aids him in making critical decisions. It is made up of cabinet ministers as well as outsiders such as the prime minister's friends and family members.

Every Indian prime minister has had a 'Inner Cabinet,' which is a circle within a circle. Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad, Gopalaswamy Ayyangar, - and Khidwai were members of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's 'Inner Cabinet.' YB Chavan, Swaran Singh, and GL Nanda were all trusted by Lal Bahadur Shastri. During Indira Gandhi's tenure, the 'Inner Cabinet,' sometimes known as the 'Kitchen Cabinet,' was especially strong, and included individuals such as YB Chavan, Uma Shanker Dixit, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Dr Karan Singh, and others. The 'inner cabinet' of AB Vajpayee included LK Advani, George Fernandes, MM Joshi, Pramod Mahajan, and others.

The prime ministers have resorted to the device of 'inner cabinet' (extra-constitutional body) due to its merits, namely:

• It being a small unit, is much moreefficient decision-making body than a large cabinet,
• It can meet more often and deal with business much more expeditiously than thelarge cabinet.
• It helps the Prime Minister in maintaining secrecy in making decisions on important political issues.

However, it has many demerits also. Thus,

• It reduces the authority and status of the cabinet as the highest decision-making body.
• It circumvents the legal process by allowing outside persons to play an influential role in the government functioning.

The phenomena of the 'kitchen cabinet,' in which decisions are prepared and presented to the cabinet for official approval, is not unique to India. It also exists in the United States and the United Kingdom, where it wields considerable power in influencing government choices.