Polity Study Notes 2023: Powers and Functions of the Indian Governor Check the Updated list of Governors in India 2023

Governor has dual responsibilities as they act as a Central Government Agent as well as they act as Chief Executive Head of the state. Therefore, they are lots of Functions and Powers of the Governor which will be discussed below in this article along with the Updated List of Governors in India 2023. 

Powers & Functions of the Governor in 2023

There are a lot of powers vested in the Governor of any state as the Governor is the Constitutional Head of the State and works along with the Council of Ministers and Cheif Minister of the State. Given below is the list of all the powers exercised by the Governor:

The powers of the Governor can be classified under the following heads:

1. Executive powers

2. Legislative powers

3. Financial powers

4. Judicial powers

Executive powers: 

The Executive Powers of the Governor are as follows:

The Governor is the nominal head of the state as in the case of the President where the President act only as a nominal head and most of the decisive power is vested in the hands of the Prime Minister of India, similarly, the Governor act as a nominal head and rest of the decisive powers are vested majorly in the Chief Minister of the State and the Councils of Ministers of the state.

1. He appoints the following people:

• Chief Minister of the State
• Council of Ministers with the Approval of the Cheif Minister
• State Election Commissioner
• Chairman and Members of the State Public Service Commission
• Vice-Chancellors of the universities in the state
• Advocate Generals of the State and their remuneration. 

1. During the period of the president's rule in the state, the Governor exercises a tremendous amount of powers.
2. He can or cannot make Business Transactions simpler in the State.
3. Every Executive action of the State has to be taken in his name.
4. Any Constitutional Emergency of the State is referred by him to the President. 

Financial powers:

1. The Financial Powers of the Governor are as follows:
2. His approval is a prerequisite before the introduction of a money bill in the legislature.
3. Governor Recommends the grants before the Central Government for the State.
4. State Financial Commission is constituted by him every five years.
5. State Contingency Fund is under him and he also looks at the State Budget printed in the State Legislature.

Judicial powers: 

The Judicial Powers of the Governor are as follows:

The President of India appoints Judges of the High Court after the consultation of the Governor

He has the following pardoning powers against punishment:

• Pardon - completely absolve the offender
• Reprieve - stay on the execution of the sentence
• Respite - awarding lesser punishment in some special circumstances
• Remit - reduction of sentence without changing the character
• Commute - substitution of one form with other

The Governor also deals with the Posting, Promotions of District Judges and appointment of persons to Judicial Services after consulting the State Public Commssion.

Legislative powers:

The Legislative Powers of the Governor are as follows:

The Legislative Powers of the Governor are divided into 2 Basic Categories

i.e., W.R.T Bills & W.R.T Legislature

Bills: 

There are two types of Bills passed in Legislature i.e Money Bills and Non-Money Bills. 

• In the case of Non- Money Bills, Bill is printed to Governor for his assent which he can either accept or deny, in case of denial the bill is sent back to the Legislature for the re-consideration, if the passes again then, Governor can either give his assent or can hold that for President.
• In the case of the Money Bill, Governor gives Prior consideration to the bill, therefore he generally doesn't send back Bill for reconsideration, while he can hold that bill for the assent of the President.

 Legislature

1. He can prorogue the state legislature and dissolve the state legislative assemblies.
2. If the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly are absent then, Governor decides who will proceed with the Session. 
3. Governor appoints 1/6 of the total members of the legislative council from the following fields:

• Literature
• Science
• Art
• Cooperative Movement
• Social Service

1. Governor nominates 1 member of the state legislative assembly from the Anglo-Indian Community.
2. He can disqualify members with the consultation of the Election Commission.
3. He addresses the State Legislature during the first session of the year.

List of the Governors in Various Indian States 2023

The Governor is the Constitutional Head of the State and it is not mandatory that Governor can hold executive powers of a single state, Governor can exercise the power of being the Governor of two or more states, where the emoluments and allowances payable to the Governor shall be allocated among the states in such a manner as the President by order determine. 

Constitutional articles related to Governors

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