How Will India’s New Governor Appointments Impact State Politics?
President Droupadi Murmu appointed six new governors and reshuffled three others, according to a communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday night. The statement noted, “These appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices.”
Governor Appointments and Removals
Governors can serve up to five years but must step down if the president withdraws her support before this term ends. The president acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Union Council of Ministers, making the central government responsible for the appointment and removal of governors.
Constitutional Basis for Governor Appointments
- Governor for Each State: Article 153 states that each state will have a Governor. An amendment in 1956 allowed the center to appoint a Governor for two or more states.
- Appointment by the President: Article 155 specifies that the President of India appoints a state governor under the central government’s nomination.
- Term and Removal: Article 156 outlines a Governor has a five-year tenure, subject to the president’s discretion. The governor must resign if the president withdraws support within five years.
- Eligibility Criteria: Articles 157 and 158 detail the qualifications and conditions for the position of governor, including being a citizen of India, at least 35 years old, not a member of Parliament or a state legislature, and not holding any other office of profit.
New Appointments and Reshuffles
Assam and Manipur
- New Governor: Lakshman Prasad Acharya, previously the Governor of Sikkim, has been appointed Governor of Assam and given additional charge of Manipur. He replaces Anusuiya Uikye, who has been Governor of Manipur since February last year.
Punjab
- New Governor: Banwarilal Purohit has been replaced by Gulab Chand Kataria as the Governor of Punjab. Kataria has also been appointed as the administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, replacing Lakshman Prasad Acharya.
Sikkim
- New Governor: Veteran BJP leader Om Prakash Mathur has been appointed as the new Governor of Sikkim.
Maharashtra
- New Governor: Jharkhand Governor C P Radhakrishnan has been appointed as the new Governor of Maharashtra, succeeding Ramesh Bais. Radhakrishnan also held charge of Telangana.
Jharkhand
- New Governor: Former Union Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar will succeed C P Radhakrishnan as the Governor of Jharkhand.
Telangana
- New Governor: Jishnu Dev Varma, a former Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura, has been appointed as the new Governor of Telangana.
Puducherry
- New Lt Governor: K Kailashnathan, a former IAS officer and trusted aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been appointed as the Lt Governor of Puducherry. He previously served as chief principal secretary to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
Maharashtra
- New Governor: Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde, a senior BJP leader from Maharashtra, has succeeded Kalraj Mishra as the Governor of Rajasthan.
Chhattisgarh
- New Governor: Ramen Deka, a Former Lok Sabha member from Assam, will become the Governor of Chhattisgarh.
Meghalaya
- New Governor: C H Vijayashankar, a Former Lok Sabha member from Mysore in Karnataka, will serve as the Governor of Meghalaya.
These appointments reflect a significant reshuffling of key gubernatorial positions across India.