SSC · Railway
The qualifications for appointment as the Governor of a State (a citizen of India who has completed 35 years of age) are laid down in:
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Answer: Option B — Article 157
Detailed Solution
Article 157 lays down the qualifications for appointment as Governor: no person shall be eligible for appointment as Governor unless he or she is a citizen of India and has completed the age of 35 years.
Two conventions:
- In addition to the constitutional qualifications, two conventions are generally followed in appointing Governors:
- The Governor should be an outsider, that is, not belonging to the state where he or she is appointed, so that he or she is free from local politics.
- The President consults the Chief Minister of the state before appointing the Governor.
Conditions of the Governor's office (Article 158):
- The Governor should not be a member of either House of Parliament or of a State Legislature; if such a member is appointed, he or she is deemed to have vacated the seat.
- The Governor should not hold any other office of profit.
- The Governor is entitled to an official residence (Raj Bhavan), and to emoluments, allowances and privileges determined by Parliament.
- The same person can be appointed Governor of two or more states.
Appointment and term:
- Article 155: The Governor is appointed by the President by warrant under his or her hand and seal.
- Article 156: The Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President, normally for a term of five years.
The Supreme Court in the B. P. Singhal case (2010) held that a Governor cannot be removed arbitrarily, merely because of a change of government at the Centre or political differences.
Oath:
The oath of office of the Governor is administered by the Chief Justice of the High Court of the state (Article 159).
Role of the Governor:
- The Governor is the constitutional head of the state and the agent of the Centre.
- The Sarkaria Commission recommended that the Governor should be an eminent person from outside the state.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Article 155 deals with the appointment of the Governor; Article 156 with the term of office; Article 158 with the conditions of office.
Quick tip
Remember: Article 157 = qualifications of the Governor (citizen of India, 35 years of age); Articles 155, 156, 158 = appointment, term, conditions.
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State Executive & Legislature — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of State Executive & Legislature, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers government at the state level: the Governor, the Chief Minister and the State Council of Ministers, the Advocate General, the State Legislature, including the legislative councils in states that have them, and the special provisions for certain states. Questions usually cover the appointment and powers of the Governor, the Governor's discretionary powers, which states have a bicameral legislature, and how a legislative council is created or abolished (Article 169). Remember that the Governor is appointed by the President and holds office during the President's pleasure. Practise the state executive and legislature questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.