The Governor of Rajasthan
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The Governor of Rajasthan (State Executive)
[!IMPORTANT] The Governor is the Constitutional Head of the State. Articles 153 to 167 of the Indian Constitution deal with the State Executive, which includes the Governor, the Chief Minister, the Council of Ministers, and the Advocate General of the State.
1. Constitutional Provisions
- Article 153: There shall be a Governor for each state. The 7th Constitutional Amendment (1956) facilitated the appointment of the same person as a Governor for two or more states.
- Article 154: Executive power of the state is vested in the Governor.
- Article 155: Appointment of Governor is done by the President of India.
- Article 156: Term of office тАФ Pleasure of the President (Usually 5 years).
- Article 157 & 158: Qualifications and conditions of office. Must be 35+ years old and a citizen of India.
- Article 159: Oath or affirmation (administered by the Chief Justice of the State High Court).
- Article 161: Pardoning powers (limited compared to the President).
2. Powers and Functions
| Category | Key Functions |
|---|---|
| Executive | Appoints CM, Ministers, RPSC members, Advocate General, State Election Commissioner. |
| Legislative | Summons/prorogues Assembly, Dissolves Assembly, Addresses the first session, Ordinance Power (Art 213). |
| Financial | Money bills require prior recommendation. Constitutes State Finance Commission. |
| Judicial | Consultation for High Court judge appointments, Appoints District Judges. |
| Discretionary | Selection of CM during hung assembly, recommendation for President's Rule (Art 356). |
3. Rajasthan Specific Historical Facts
| Profile | Name | Tenure/Detail |
|---|---|---|
| First Governor | Gurmukh Nihal Singh | 1956тАУ1962 (Longest serving) |
| Current Governor | Haribhau Bagade | Since July 2024 |
| First Woman Governor | Pratibha Patil | 2004тАУ2007 (Later became President) |
| Passed away in office | Darbara Singh | First to die in office (1998) |
| Other Women Governors | Margaret Alva, Prabha Rau | Notable figures |
| Rajpramukh (Pre-1956) | Sawai Man Singh II | 1949тАУ1956 |
4. President's Rule in Rajasthan (Article 356)
Rajasthan has witnessed President's Rule four times since its formation:
| No. | Period | Governor | Chief Minister | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 13 Mar 1967 тАУ 26 Apr 1967 | Sampurnanand | Mohan Lal Sukhadia | Hung Assembly (Indecisive election) |
| 2nd | 29 Apr 1977 тАУ 22 Jun 1977 | Vedpal Tyagi (Acting) | Haridev Joshi | Dismissal of State Govt by Center |
| 3rd | 16 Feb 1980 тАУ 5 Jun 1980 | Raghukul Tilak | Bhairon Singh Shekhawat | Dismissal of State Govt by Center |
| 4th | 15 Dec 1992 тАУ 3 Dec 1993 | M. Chenna Reddy | Bhairon Singh Shekhawat | Post-Babri Masjid demolition unrest |
[!TIP] The fourth instance was the longest (nearly one year), while the first was the shortest (44 days).
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