President Ram Nath Kovind urged governors to act as friend, philosopher and guide in states, while Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the critical role played by them in protecting constitutional values and integrity of the country.

The President inaugurated the 51st conference of governors, lieutenant  governors and administrators at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 11.

Key points highlighted in the conference:

• President Kovind pointed out that governors had a very important role in creating awareness among the people about the national goals and ensuring public participation. He said they must spend as much time as possible in their respective states and maintain connect with the people to fulfil this commitment.

• Vice President Naidu urged the governors to play a proactive role in monitoring various central government projects and schemes and ensure that the money intended for people’s welfare is spent for the right purpose. He reminded the governors to maintain high standards and win over people’s confidence in taking up issues like climate change.

• Prime Minister Modi pointed out that the institution of the governor is a critical connect between the Centre and the state. He urged governors to travel to remotest villages of the state and interact with neighbouring governors regularly to know about people’s problems.

The role of governor

The governor is the chief executive of a state and his position is analogous to that of the President at the Centre. Despite being a nominal executive head (titular or constitutional head), the governor has “a right to be consulted, to warn and encourage” and his role is overwhelmingly that of a “friend, philosopher and guide” to the council of ministers. 

Under this role, he also functions as a sentinel of the Constitution and a live link with the Union.

The Constitution, under Article 153, provides for a governor for each state. However, the Article was amended by the Seventh Constitutional Amendment (1956), which came as a result of the State Reorganization Commission and currently, the same person may be appointed as governor of two or more states.

Powers and functions of the governor:

The governor’s powers and functions can be studied under the following heads:

• Executive powers

• Legislative powers

• Financial powers

• Judicial powers

• Mercy (pardoning) powers

• Emergency powers.

The office of governor has been given a key role of maintaining Constitutional governance in a state. The dignity and independence of this Constitutional office warrants a fixed term and impeachment on the same lines as the President. 

The governor brings a national level perspective to the state level actions and activities. 

The importance becomes even more prominent in cases of outbreak of natural disasters, breakout of communal riots, etc. 

The Punchhi Commission has emphasized the importance of the Office, especially in the context of internal security challenges. It has recommended a set of criteria for the qualification of governor to be included in Article 157.

Some of the recommendations are:

• The governor should, in the opinion of the President, be an eminent person.

• The governor must be a person from outside the concerned state.

• The governor should be a detached person and not too intimately connected with the local politics of the state. Accordingly, the governor must not have participated in active politics at the Centre or state or local level for at least a couple of years before his appointment.

• The tenure of office of the governor must be fixed, say for a period of 5 years.

• The phrase “during the pleasure of the President” may be deleted from Article 156 of the Constitution.

• In B.P. Singhal vs Union of India case, SC observed that power to remove governor cannot be exercised in an arbitrary, capricious or unreasonable manner. This power should only be exercised in rare and exceptional circumstances for valid and compelling reasons.

• A provision may be made for the impeachment of the governor by the state Legislature on the same lines as the impeachment of the President by the Parliament.

• Governors should not be eligible for any further appointment or office of profit under the Union or state governments except a second term as governor, or election as Vice- President or President of India.

• Also, after quitting or laying down his office, the governor shall not return to active partisan politics.

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