Concept2 stories

Governor

In one line: The Governor is appointed by the President and holds office at the President's pleasure.

Powers

Assent to Bills, reserving Bills for the President and discretion in some matters.

Debate

Delays in assent have led to court cases.

Where to go next

Localised emergency: Emergency powers for specific areas

On the reference shelf

Previous-year questions on this

2026 · GS2 · 15 marks Discuss the position of the Governor in the federal polity of India. What is the nature of his power while giving assent to a bill passed by the State Legislature? Is he bound by the aid and advice…
2025 · GS2 · 15 marks Examine the evolving pattern of Centre-State financial relations in the context of planned development in India. How far have the recent reforms impacted the fiscal federalism in India?
2024 · GS2 · 15 marks What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations? Suggest measures to be adopted to build the trust between the Centre and the States and for…
2023 · GS2 · 15 marks Account for the legal and political factors responsible for the reduced frequency of using Article 356 by the Union Governments since mid-1990s.
2022 · GS2 · 15 marks "While the national political parties in India favour centralisation, the regional parties are in favour of State autonomy." Comment.
2022 · GS2 · 15 marks Discuss the essential conditions for exercise of the legislative powers by the Governor. Discuss the legality of re-promulgation of ordinances by the Governor without placing them before the…
2021 · GS2 · 15 marks The jurisdiction of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding lodging an FIR and conducting probe within a particular state is being questioned by various States. However, the power of…
2020 · GS2 · 10 marks How far do you think cooperation, competition and confrontation have shaped the nature of federation in India? Cite some recent examples to validate your answer.
2016 · Essay · 125 Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality
2015 · GS2 · 12.5 marks The concept of cooperative federalism has been increasingly emphasised in recent years. Highlight the drawbacks in the existing structure and extent to which cooperative federalism would answer the…
2025 · Prelims With reference to India, consider the following: I. The Inter-State Council II. The National Security Council III. Zonal Councils. How many of the above were established as per the provisions of the…
2025 · Prelims Consider the following statements: I. The Constitution of India explicitly mentions that in certain spheres the Governor of a State acts in his/her own discretion. II. The President of India can, of…