2. Who is
Governor ?
The Governor is the head of a state just like the President is the head of the
republic.The Governor is the nominal head of a state, while the Chief
Minister is the executive head.
All executive actions of the state are taken in the name of the Governor.
According to an amendment in the Constitution of India, brought about in
1956, the same person can be the Governor of two or more states.
3. Facts !!!
Governor of a state can be removed from his post only by
president of India on the recommendation of Prime Minister.
Governor ranks fourth in the Indian order of precedence after the
President,Vice President and Prime Minister.
4. Executivepowers
The Governor has the power to appoint the Council of Ministers
including the Chief Minister of the state, the Advocate General and
the members of the State Public Service Commission.
However, the Governor cannot remove the members of the State
Public Service Commission as they can only be removed by an order
of the President.
The Governor is consulted by the President in the appointment of the
Judges of the state High Court.
The Governor appoints Judges of the District Courts.
In all the states where a bicameral legislature is present, the Governor
has a right to nominate the members, who are “persons having
special knowledge or practical experience in matters such as
literature, science, art, co-operative movement and social service”, to
the LegislativeCouncil.
5. LegislativePower
As the Governor is said to be a part of the State Legislature, he has the
right of addressing and sending messages, summoning, deferring and
dissolving the State Legislature, just like the President has, in respect
to the Parliament.
Although these are formal powers, in reality, the Governor must be
guided by the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers before
making such decisions.
The Governor inaugurates the state legislature and the first session of
each year, by addressing the Assembly, outlining the new
administrative policies of the ruling government.
The Governor lays before the State Legislature, the annual financial
statement and also makes demands for grants and recommendation
of ‘Money Bills’.
6. he Governor constitutes the State Finance Commission. He also holds
the power to make advances out of the Contingency Fund of the State
in the case of any unforeseen circumstances.
All bills passed by the LegislativeAssembly become a law, only after
the Governor approves them.
In case it is not a money bill, the Governor holds the right to send it
back to theVidhan Sabha for reconsideration. But if theVidhan Sabha
sends back the Bill to the Governor the second time, then he has to
sign it.
The Governor has the power to promulgate an ordinance when the
LegislativeAssembly is not in session, and a law has to be brought into
effect immediately
. However, the ordinance is presented in the state legislature in the
next session, and remains operative for a total of six weeks, unless it is
approved by the legislature.
7. JudicialPowers
he Governor can grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remission of
punishments. He can also suspend, remit or commute the
sentence of any person convicted of an offence against the law.
The Governor is consulted by the President in the appointment of
the Chief Justice to the High Court of that particular state.
8. EmergencyPowers
In case no political party bags a majority in theVidhan Sabha of the
state, the Governor holds the power to use his discretion to select the
Chief Minister.
The Governor informs the President in an official report, of a
particular emergency arisen in the state, and imposes ‘President’s
Rule’ on the behalf of the President.
The Governor, in such circumstances, overrides the advice or
functions of the Council of Ministers, and directs upon himself, the
workings of the state.
9. EligibilityCriteria
As per the Constitution of India, the following are the eligibility
criteria for the appointment of the Governor in a particular
state:He or she must be a citizen of India.
He or she must have completed 35 years of age.
He or she must not hold any other office of profit.
He or she must not be a member of the Legislature of the Union or
of any other state.There is no bar to the selection of a Governor
from amongst the members of the Legislature, provided that on
appointment, he or she immediately ceases to be a Member of the
Legislature.
10. Governor
wears two
Hats …
The Governor is the chief executive of a State in India.The powers
and functions of the Governor of Indian State resembles that of
the President of the UnionGovernment.
Like the President, the Governor is also a constitutional ruler, a
nominal figure. He is not a real functionary.Generally speaking,
the Governor acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
The Governor is appointed by the President of India. He holds
office during the pleasure of the President.
Under the Constitution of India, the Governor of a State possesses
wide powers and functions – executive, legislative, financial and
judicial.
