Polity · X-Factor Notes
The Governor revision notes for UPPCS Prelims.
25 revision facts
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Constitutional Framework | Articles 153 to 167 in Part VI of the Constitution deal with the Government of the state. The Governor is the executive head of the state. Article 162 refers to the Extension of Executive Power of State. | U.P. P.C.S. Pre 2024 (Art 153, 154, 155, 156). |
| Appointing Authority (Art 155) | The Governor is appointed by the President of India. | I.A.S. (Pre) 2012; UPPCS (Mains) 2014; UPPCS (Pre) 2015. |
| Tenure and Removal (Art 156) | Holds office for a term of 5 years, but his tenure is subject to the pleasure of the President. Resigns by addressing a letter to the President. No procedure is laid down in the Constitution for his removal. | UPPCS (Mains) 2004; UPPCS (Mains) 2014; I.A.S. (Pre) 2013; U.P. P.C.S. Pre 2024. |
| Qualifications (Art 157) | Must be a citizen of India and must be over 35 years of age. Citizenship by birth is not a requirement. | U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 1996. |
| Appointment for Multiple States (Art 153) | The same person can be appointed as the Governor of two or more states (enabled by the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956). Emoluments are allocated among the States in a proportion determined by the President. | U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 1996; UPPCS (Mains) 2016; U.P. P.C.S. Pre 2024. |
| Discharge of Duties in Contingency (Art 160) | The President may make provisions for the discharge of the duties of the Governor in extraordinary circumstances under Article 160. | UPPCS (Mains) 2007. |
| Oath of Office | Administered by the Chief Justice of the High Court. | UPPCS (Mains) 2014; U.P. Lower Sub. (Mains) 2013; |
| First Woman Governor | Sarojini Naidu was the first woman Governor of any state (Uttar Pradesh: 1947-1949). |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Head | All executive work of the state is formally done in the name of the Governor. He is the Constitutional Head of the State Government. | . |
| Appointment of Ministers (Art 164) | Appoints the Chief Minister; appoints the Council of Ministers on the advice of the Chief Minister. This is not a discretionary power. | UPPCS (Mains) 2005; U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002;. |
| Advocate General (Art 165) | Appoints the Advocate General (who must have High Court Judge qualifications). | . |
| High Court Judges | The Governor does not appoint Judges of the State High Court. | UPPCS (Mains) 2005; |
| Pardoning Power (Art 161) | Can grant pardons, reprieves, respites, and remission related to state law. He cannot pardon a sentence of death. | UPPCS (Mains) 2005. |
| Legislative Role (Art 168/174) | He is an integral part of the State Legislative Assembly. He summons, prorogues (Vidhan Sabha), and dissolves the State Assembly. | UPPCS (Mains) 2005. |
| Ordinance Power (Art 213) | Can promulgate ordinances when the state legislature is not in session. | U.P. R.O./A.R.O. (Mains) 2016. |
| Nomination to Legislative Council | Has the right to nominate one-sixth (1/6) members of the legislative council. | Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2011; U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2017. |
| Anglo-Indian Nomination | The arrangement to nominate one member of the Anglo-Indian community to the State Legislative Assemblies has ended (104th Amendment Act, 2019). | N/A |
| Salaries and Allowances | Charged upon the Consolidated Fund of each state (Art 202(3)(A)). |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Reservation of Bills (Art 200) | The Governor may reserve a Bill for the consideration of the President. This power is considered discretionary. If reserved, the President decides assent (Art 201). The concept of reserving a bill for the President’s consideration is borrowed from Canada. | U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2004; U.P.P.S.C. (GIC) 2010; I.A.S. (Pre) 2014. |
| State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor of Tamil Nadu (2025) | The Supreme Court of India, in the 2025 landmark judgment in State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor of Tamil Nadu, imposed the following timelines for Governors under Article 200 of the Constitution: When the Governor acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers (i.e., assent to, withhold assent, or reserve a bill for the President), the decision must be made within one month. If the Governor acts contrary to the advice of the Council of Ministers (exercising discretionary power), the decision must be made within three months. If a Bill is returned by the Governor for reconsideration and the State Legislature re-passes the Bill in the same form, the Governor must give assent within one month and cannot reserve the Bill for the President. For the President under Article 201, when a Bill is reserved by the Governor for Presidential consideration: The President must decide on whether to accord assent or withhold assent within three months of the Bill being reserved. | |
| Obligation on Returned Bills (Art 200) | If a bill (not Money Bill) is returned for reconsideration and passed again by the state legislature, the Governor has to give his assent. | N/A |
| Discretionary Acts (Examples) | Acts exercisable by the Governor in his discretion include: demanding the government prove majority, dismissing a Chief Minister who lost confidence, reserving a bill for the President, returning a bill for reconsideration (Art 200), and making a report for President’s Rule. | UPPCS (Mains) 2006; I.A.S. (Pre) 2014. |
| President's Rule Recommendation (Art 356) | Imposed by the President mainly on the advice/report of the Governor. The making of this report is a discretionary power of the Governor. | I.A.S. (Pre) 2014. |
| Governor Election Debate | The original plan for elected Governors was dropped because it would mean another election, battles on major political issues, potential superiority conflicts with the CM, and conflict with the Parliamentary System. | U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2002; UPPCS (Pre) 2003; UPPCS (Mains) 2004. |
| Sarkaria Commission | Recommended that the Governor should be an eminent person from outside the State and a detached figure without intense political links. | I.A.S. (Pre) 2019. |
