Most UPSC aspirants spend weeks on Parliament and the Supreme Court but rush through the Governor’s office in a single sitting. That is a costly mistake. In my 15 years of teaching polity, I have seen this chapter appear in Prelims and Mains with surprising regularity — and students who prepared it well picked up easy marks every single time.
Where This Topic Sits in the UPSC Syllabus
| Exam Stage | Paper | Syllabus Section |
|---|---|---|
| Prelims | General Studies | Indian Polity — State Executive |
| Mains | GS-II | Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States; Issues relating to federal structure |
The Governor’s role connects directly to federalism, Centre-State relations, President’s Rule, and judicial review. Questions have appeared at least 8-10 times in the last 15 years across both Prelims and Mains. It also overlaps with current affairs whenever a Governor-CM conflict makes headlines — which happens almost every year.
Constitutional Framework: Articles 153 to 162
Part VI of the Constitution deals with the State Executive. Article 153 says there shall be a Governor for each state. Article 155 states that the Governor is appointed by the President — which in practice means the Union government chooses the person.
Article 156 says the Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President. There is no fixed security of tenure like judges enjoy. This single provision is the root of most controversies around the office.
Article 163 provides that the Governor acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers — except where the Constitution requires him to act in his discretion. And Article 164 says the Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor.
Discretionary Powers — The Real Exam Gold
This is where marks lie. The Governor exercises discretion in these situations:
- Appointing the CM when no party has a clear majority
- Deciding whether to dissolve the Assembly on the CM’s advice after a floor test loss
- Reserving a Bill for the President’s consideration under Article 200
- Recommending President’s Rule under Article 356
- As administrator of a Union Territory given additional charge
- Special responsibilities in states like Assam, Nagaland, and Maharashtra (for Vidarbha)
Each of these discretionary areas has generated real constitutional disputes. For Mains, you must know not just the provision but the political context in which it has been misused or debated.
Key Controversies and Landmark Cases
The S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) case is the most significant judgment on the Governor’s role in recommending President’s Rule. The Supreme Court ruled that the President’s proclamation under Article 356 is subject to judicial review. The floor of the Assembly — not the Governor’s subjective opinion — is the test of majority.
In Rameshwar Prasad v. Union of India (2006), the Court struck down the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly, calling it unconstitutional. The Governor had recommended dissolution without allowing any party to prove majority on the floor.
The Nabam Rebia v. Deputy Speaker (2016) case from Arunachal Pradesh clarified that a Governor cannot summon, prorogue, or dissolve the Assembly without the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. This is a frequently tested concept.
More recently, the tussle between Governors and elected state governments in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab over pending Bills has brought Article 200 into national debate. The Supreme Court in 2023-24 observed that Governors cannot indefinitely sit on Bills. This remains a live issue in 2026.
Commissions That Examined the Governor’s Role
The Sarkaria Commission (1988) recommended that the Governor should be an eminent person from outside the state and should not belong to the ruling party at the Centre. It said the power under Article 356 should be used very sparingly.
The Punchhi Commission (2010) went further. It recommended a fixed five-year tenure, removal only through a resolution by the state legislature, and a time limit for Governors to act on Bills. Most of these recommendations remain unimplemented, which itself is a Mains-worthy point.
Why This Topic Scores So Well
I tell my students this chapter is a “connector.” Any question on federalism, Centre-State tensions, or constitutional morality can be answered better if you know the Governor’s role deeply. In GS-II Mains answers, citing specific articles (153, 155, 156, 163, 200, 356) and case laws instantly lifts your answer above average.
Prelims questions on this topic are often factual — which article says what, which commission said what. If you have read it once carefully, these are free marks.
Previous Year UPSC Questions on This Topic
Q1. Which of the following is/are the discretionary powers of the Governor?
(UPSC Prelims 2014 — GS)
Answer: Options relating to reserving Bills for the President and recommending President’s Rule were correct. The Governor’s discretionary powers are not explicitly listed in one article but arise from various provisions and conventions. The key is to distinguish between situations where the Governor acts on ministerial advice versus independently.
Q2. Discuss the role of the Governor in the legislative process of a state. Has the office lived up to its constitutional expectations?
(UPSC Mains 2018 — GS-II)
Answer: The Governor summons, prorogues, and addresses the state legislature. Under Article 200, the Governor can assent, withhold assent, or reserve a Bill. The recent practice of Governors delaying assent to Bills passed by state legislatures has raised concerns about federal principles. The Sarkaria and Punchhi Commissions both flagged partisan behaviour. The office was designed as a constitutional head, but frequent misuse has eroded its credibility. Reform suggestions include fixed tenure and a collegium-based appointment process.
Q3. The Governor is neither combatively assertive nor a rubber stamp. Examine this statement in light of the constitutional provisions and recent controversies.
(UPSC Mains 2022 — GS-II)
Answer: The Constitution envisions the Governor as a bridge between the Centre and the state. Article 163 binds the Governor to ministerial advice in most matters, preventing a rubber-stamp accusation. Yet discretionary powers under Articles 200 and 356 give the office real authority. Recent friction in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu — where Governors delayed Bills and withheld assent — shows the office can be assertive. The Supreme Court’s interventions indicate the judiciary expects a balanced approach. The answer here lies in constitutional morality: the Governor must act within the spirit of cooperative federalism.
Key Points to Remember for UPSC
- Article 155 and 156 — Governor appointed by President, holds office during President’s pleasure. No security of tenure.
- Article 163 — Governor acts on Council of Ministers’ advice except in discretionary matters.
- S.R. Bommai (1994) — Floor test is the ultimate test of majority, not the Governor’s subjective satisfaction.
- Nabam Rebia (2016) — Governor cannot act on Assembly matters without ministerial advice.
- Article 200 — Governor’s power to reserve Bills for President is currently the most debated discretionary power.
- Sarkaria Commission recommended the Governor should be from outside the state and not from the ruling party.
- Punchhi Commission recommended fixed tenure and time limits for acting on Bills — both unimplemented.
This chapter rewards focused preparation disproportionately. Read Articles 153-167 directly from the Constitution once, study the three landmark cases I mentioned, and note down the Sarkaria and Punchhi recommendations. That single effort will serve you across Prelims, GS-II Mains, and even Essay. Start with Laxmikanth’s chapter on the Governor, then supplement it with recent Supreme Court observations from 2024-2026 news reports.