State Government — Governor, CM and Legislature — TNPSC Group II/IIA Polity
Overview
India's states follow a parliamentary system mirroring the Centre. The Governor is the constitutional head; the Chief Minister is the real executive. For TNPSC Group 2/2A, focus on the Governor's appointment and powers, CM's role, state legislature structure, and the list of Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers.
Governor of a State (Articles 153–162)
Appointment and Qualifications
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Appointment | By President (no election) |
| Article | Article 153 |
| Qualifications | Indian citizen; minimum 35 years |
| Not | Must not be a member of any state legislature or Parliament; must not hold office of profit |
| Term | 5 years (at President's pleasure) |
| Removal | By President; no formal process |
| One Governor | Can govern two or more states |
| Oath | Administered by Chief Justice of HC |
Powers of the Governor
Executive Powers:
- All executive actions of state in Governor's name
- Appoints CM; on CM's advice appoints Council of Ministers
- Appoints Advocate General, State Election Commissioner, State Finance Commission members
- Can seek information from CM on any matter
Legislative Powers:
- Summons, prorogues, dissolves state legislature
- Addresses state legislature at start of first session each year
- Governor's assent required for state bills
- Can reserve a bill for President's consideration
Ordinance Power (Article 213):
- Can promulgate ordinances when state legislature is not in session
- Must be placed before state legislature within 6 weeks of reassembly
- Can also refer to President for approval before promulgating
Discretionary Powers:
- Appoint CM when no clear majority
- Dismiss CM when proved they lack majority
- Reserve bill for President's consideration
- Act as Chancellor of state universities (in most states)
- Seek report from CM on any administrative matter
Chief Minister (Articles 163–167)
Appointment
- Appointed by Governor
- Must be leader of majority party in state legislature
- If no clear majority, Governor's discretion applies
Powers of Chief Minister
- Heads the Council of Ministers
- Allocates portfolios to ministers
- Link between Governor and Council of Ministers (Article 167)
- Can recommend dissolution of Assembly to Governor
- Real executive power in the state
Council of Ministers
- Collectively responsible to state legislative assembly (Vidhan Sabha)
- Can be dismissed by vote of no-confidence
- Ministers hold office at pleasure of Governor (but effectively at CM's pleasure)
State Legislature
Types
| Type | States |
|---|---|
| Bicameral (two houses) | Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu (had Vidhan Parishad, abolished 1986) |
| Unicameral (one house only) | Most other states including current Tamil Nadu |
Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly)
- Lower house; directly elected
- Maximum 500, minimum 60 members
- Term: 5 years (can be dissolved earlier)
- Minimum age: 25 years
- Can pass a vote of no-confidence against CM
Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council)
- Upper house; indirectly elected + nominated
- Permanent body — cannot be dissolved
- 1/3rd elected by MLAs, 1/3rd by local bodies, 1/12th by graduates, 1/12th by teachers, 1/6th nominated by Governor
- Minimum 40 members; maximum 1/3rd of Vidhan Sabha
- Created/abolished by Parliament on state legislature resolution
Tamil Nadu abolished its Vidhan Parishad in 1986 — now unicameral.
President's Rule in States (Article 356)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Article | Article 356 |
| Called | President's Rule; also Governor's Rule; Rashtrapatri Shasan |
| Grounds | Constitutional machinery fails in state |
| Who reports | Usually Governor; or President's own satisfaction |
| Parliament approval | Within 2 months |
| Maximum duration | 3 years (with 6-month extensions; first year requires simple majority, after that special majority) |
| Effect | State executive under Centre; state legislature suspended/dissolved |
Key cases:
- S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994): SC held President's Rule is subject to judicial review; floor test must be held before dismissing state government
- 44th Amendment (1978): President's Rule cannot exceed 1 year without 6-month extensions by Parliament with special majority
Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu
| # | Chief Minister | Party | Period | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P.S. Kumaraswami Raja | Congress | 1952–1954 | First CM after reorganisation |
| 2 | C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) | Congress | 1952 (brief) | First CM in original sense; served before reorganisation too |
| 3 | Kamaraj (K. Kamarasamy) | Congress | 1954–1963 | Most powerful Congress CM; "King Maker" |
| 4 | M. Bhakthavatsalam | Congress | 1963–1967 | Last Congress CM of Tamil Nadu |
| 5 | C.N. Annadurai (Anna) | DMK | 1967–1969 | First DMK CM; renamed state Tamil Nadu; died in office |
| 6 | M. Karunanidhi | DMK | 1969–71, 76–80, 89–91, 96–2001, 2006–11 | 5 times CM; longest serving; Dravidian ideology |
| 7 | M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) | AIADMK | 1977–1987 | Film icon turned CM; Noon Meal Scheme; died in office |
| 8 | Janaki Ramachandran | AIADMK | 1988 (24 days) | MGR's widow; brief CM; lost confidence vote |
| 9 | J. Jayalalithaa | AIADMK | 1991–96, 2001–06, 2011–14, 2015–16, 2016 | First elected woman CM of TN; 6 times CM |
| 10 | O. Panneerselvam | AIADMK | 2014–15, 2016–17 | Interim CM during Jayalalithaa's conviction |
| 11 | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | AIADMK | 2017–2021 | CM after Jayalalithaa's death |
| 12 | M.K. Stalin | DMK | 2021–present | Current CM; son of Karunanidhi |
Key Facts about Tamil Nadu State Government
- Tamil Nadu is a unicameral legislature state (no Vidhan Parishad since 1986)
- Vidhan Sabha: 234 seats in Tamil Nadu
- C.N. Annadurai: First non-Congress, non-BJP CM; first Dravidian party CM; renamed state from Madras to Tamil Nadu
- MGR (M.G. Ramachandran): Only film actor to become CM; Noon Meal Scheme; AIADMK founder
- Jayalalithaa: Only woman to be elected CM of Tamil Nadu; served 6 times
- Current CM: M.K. Stalin (DMK) since May 7, 2021
- Raj Bhavan, Chennai: Governor's residence; current Governor is R.N. Ravi (as of 2023)
- Madras High Court: Covers Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
Key Facts for TNPSC Group II/IIA
- Governor: Appointed by President; no election; Article 153; 35 years minimum; 5-year term
- Governor's discretion: Appoint CM when no majority; reserve bills for President
- Article 356: President's Rule; S.R. Bommai case (1994) limits its misuse
- Vidhan Sabha: Maximum 500, minimum 60 members; term 5 years; directly elected
- Vidhan Parishad: Permanent; 1/3rd rotate every 2 years; Tamil Nadu abolished in 1986
- CM of Tamil Nadu currently: M.K. Stalin (DMK), 2021–present
- C.N. Annadurai: Renamed state to Tamil Nadu (1969); died in office
- Kamaraj: CM 1954–1963; instrumental as "King Maker" in national politics
- MGR: Founded AIADMK (1972); introduced Noon Meal Scheme for children
- Jayalalithaa: First elected woman CM of Tamil Nadu; served 6 terms
Previous Year MCQ Patterns
Q: The Governor of a state is appointed by: a) Chief Justice of the High Court b) Chief Minister of the state c) President of India d) Prime Minister of India
Q: Who was the Chief Minister when Tamil Nadu was renamed from Madras State to Tamil Nadu? a) Kamaraj b) C.N. Annadurai c) M. Karunanidhi d) M. Bhakthavatsalam
Q: Under which article can the President impose President's Rule in a state? a) Article 352 b) Article 356 c) Article 360 d) Article 368
Frequently Asked Questions
The Governor is appointed by the President of India. Unlike the President, the Governor is not elected. A person must be an Indian citizen and at least 35 years old to be appointed Governor. The Governor holds office at the pleasure of the President and can be removed at any time. The Governor is the constitutional head of the state.