President appoints Governors of seven states

What to study?

• For Prelims: Constitutional provisions related to the office of governor.
• For Mains: Significance and issues associated with the office of governor- is he merely a rubber stamp, comparison of powers with the President and frequent removals.

Context: By exercising his authority under Article 156 of the constitution, President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Governors of seven states including Bihar, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Tripura.

Governors of States in India:

Governor is the head of the Executive power of any state in India, just like the President who is the head of the executive power in the Union.

• Governor is the nominal head of a state, unlike the Chief Minister who is the real head of a state in India.
• According to an amendment in the Constitution of India (7^th Constitutional Amendment Act), brought about in 1956, the same person can be the Governor of two or more states.

Appointment and removal:

• The governors and lieutenant-governors are appointed by the president for a term of 5 years.
• The term of governor’s office is normally 5 years but it can be terminated earlier by: Dismissal by the president on the advice of the prime minister of the country, at whose pleasure the governor holds office or Resignation by the governor.
• There is no provision of impeachment, as it happens for the president.
• Article 157 and Article 158 of the Constitution of India specify eligibility requirements for the post of governor.

Powers:

• Like the President of India, the Governor of any state in India is vested with certain executive, legislative and judicial powers.
• He or she also possesses certain discretionary or emergency powers.
• But one major difference in the powers enjoyed by the President and those enjoyed by the Governor is, the Governor does not have any diplomatic or military powers.

Sources: the hindu.