KNC501/KNC601 Constitution of India, Law and Engineering
Chapter 7: State Executives
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Appendix
Governor
Powers and Functions of Governor
At the state level, there is a Governor in whom the executive power of the State is vested by the Constitution. But the Governor acts as a nominal head, and the real executive powers are exercised by the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister.
Appointment
The Governor of a State is appointed by the President of India. To become a Governor, a person must have the following qualifications. He/She:
- Must be a citizen of India,
- Must be at least 35 years old, and should not hold any office of profit during his/her tenure.
If a person is a member of either the House of the Parliament or the Legislature of a State, or a member of the Council of Ministers at the national or the state level and is appointed as Governor, he/she resigns that post.
The Governor is appointed for a term of five years but normally holds office during the pleasure of the President.
The pleasure of the President means that the Governor may be removed by the President even before the expiry of his/her term. He/She may also resign earlier. However, in reality, while appointing or removing the Governor, the President goes by the advice of the Prime Minister.
Powers of Governor
The powers of the Governor can be categorized as:
- Executive powers,
- Legislative powers,
- Financial powers,
- Judicial powers, and
- Discretionary powers
