TheÃÂ deputy chief ministerÃÂ is the deputy to theÃÂ chief minister, who is the chief executive of the Indian state. The governor appoints the deputy chief minister, who is the second-highest-ranking member in the council of ministers of the respective state. A deputy chief minister also holds a cabinet portfolio in the state ministry. In theÃÂ legislative assembly systemÃÂ of government, theÃÂ deputy chief minister is treated as the "first among equals" in the cabinet; the position of deputy chief minister is used to govern the state with the support of a single party member, to bring political stability and strength within aÃÂ coalition government, or in times of state emergency when a proper chain of commandÃÂ is necessary. On multiple occasions, proposals have arisen to make the post permanent, but without result. The same goes for the post of deputy prime minister at the national level. Given that she has the confidence of the assembly, the chief minister's term is for five years and is subject to no term limits.
Since 1996, India has had nine female deputy chief ministers. The first woman to become deputy chief minister wasÃÂ Rajinder Kaur BhattalÃÂ of theÃÂ Indian National CongressÃÂ party, who was sworn in on 6 August 1996 asÃÂ deputy chief minister of Punjab. She is also the only female deputy chief minister who served two non-consecutive terms and also as Chief Minister (who also only female chief minister who later served as deputy chief minister). Jamuna Devi was the longest-serving female deputy chief minister.ÃÂ Pamula Pushpa SreevaniÃÂ of theÃÂ Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress PartyÃÂ is the youngest and first member of theÃÂ state partyÃÂ to become the female deputy chief minister. Only eight states in India had female deputy chief ministers out of 28 states and three union territories that have legislature systems.
Diya Kumari of Rajasthan, Pravati Parida of Odisha, Sunetra Pawar of Maharashtra, and Nemcha Kipgen of Manipur are the female incumbent deputy chief ministers in India.