Appointment of Governor
Official heading: “Appointment of Governor .”
- Source edition
- The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
- Source locator
- Part VI, Article 155, printed page 70
- Last human source-link check
- Not yet checked
- Last human legal review
- Not yet reviewed
AI-assisted source comparisons are noted with the citations below; the check date remains pending until a human confirms the link. The report link opens your email app; you choose whether to send it.
1. In One Sentence
Article 155 provides that the Governor of a State shall be appointed by the President of India by warrant under his hand and seal.
2. What It Means in Everyday Language
Article 155 specifies the mode of appointment of the Governor. Unlike the elected President or the elected Chief Minister, the Governor is appointed directly by the President of India.
During Constituent Assembly debates, the framers extensively debated whether Governors should be directly elected by citizens or appointed. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and other framers concluded that an elected Governor could clash with an elected Chief Minister, which would destabilize cabinet government.
In practice, the President acts on the advice of the Union Cabinet under Article 74 when appointing Governors, making the office a vital constitutional link between the Union and the States.
3. Practical Illustrative Example
A new Governor is appointed for a State following a vacancy.
4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions
Article 155 establishes the federal appointment mechanism for State Governors.
- Direct presidential appointment: Nominated by Union executive without State legislative election.
- Formal instrument: Requires warrant under hand and seal of the President.
- Constitutional balance: Designed to maintain national unity while respecting parliamentary cabinet supremacy.
5. Operative Constitutional Text
6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations
Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.
- •Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part VI, Article 155, printed page 70 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.