Overview
Just as the Union has a President (constitutional head) and Prime Minister (real executive), each State has a Governor (constitutional head) and Chief Minister (real executive). The state government structure largely mirrors the central government structure.
The Governor
Key Facts
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Article | Article 153 — every State shall have a Governor |
| Appointment | By President of India (Article 155) |
| Term | 5 years — but serves at pleasure of President |
| Min age | 35 years |
| Qualifications | Citizen of India; must not be a member of any legislature or hold any office of profit |
| Oath | Administered by Chief Justice of the High Court |
| Residence | Raj Bhavan (in state capital) |
| One person = multiple Governors | Allowed; same person can be Governor of more than one State |
Powers of the Governor
Executive Powers:
- Appoints Chief Minister and, on CM's advice, other ministers
- Appoints Advocate General of the State, State Election Commissioner, SPSC Chairman
- All executive actions of State taken in the name of the Governor
Legislative Powers:
- Summons, prorogues, and dissolves the State Legislative Assembly
- Addresses the Assembly at the beginning of each budget session
- Nominates 1/6th of members to Legislative Council (in states having it)
- Gives assent to State Bills; can reserve bills for President's consideration
- Promulgates State Ordinances when legislature is not in session
Financial Powers:
- Money Bills introduced in State Assembly only with prior recommendation of Governor
- Annual Financial Statement (State Budget) laid before Assembly on Governor's authority
Discretionary Powers (Governor can act independently):
- Appointing CM when no party has clear majority
- Dismissing a government that has lost floor majority
- Dissolving Legislative Assembly
- Referring a bill to President
- Submitting a report to President for President's Rule (Article 356)
Governor vs President — Key Difference
Unlike the President, the Governor has genuine discretionary powers. The Governor is also an agent of the Centre and acts as a bridge between Centre and State.
State Legislature
States have either unicameral (one house) or bicameral (two houses) legislature.
Unicameral States (only Legislative Assembly / Vidhan Sabha)
Most states, including Tamil Nadu (234 seats), Kerala, Andhra Pradesh (new), Telangana, Rajasthan, etc.
Bicameral States (Legislative Assembly + Legislative Council / Vidhan Parishad)
Only 6 states have a Legislative Council: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Karnataka, Telangana (new), Andhra Pradesh (re-created)
Tamil Nadu had a Legislative Council but abolished it in 1986.
State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha)
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Members | Directly elected by the people |
| Min strength | 60 members |
| Max strength | 500 members |
| Term | 5 years (can be dissolved by Governor) |
| Min age | 25 years |
| Presiding Officer | Speaker (elected by members) |
| Money Bills | Introduced only in Vidhan Sabha |
Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total seats | 234 |
| Unicameral | Yes (no Legislative Council since 1986) |
| Term | 5 years |
| Speaker | Elected by members |
| Session | Meets in Chennai (Secretariat / Fort St. George area) |
Chief Minister and State Council of Ministers
Chief Minister
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Appointment | Appointed by Governor; must enjoy majority in Assembly |
| Term | As long as enjoys majority |
| Role | Real head of State Government; head of Cabinet |
| Accountability | Collectively responsible to State Legislative Assembly |
Key Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers (for exam)
| CM | Party | Period |
|---|---|---|
| C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) | Congress | 1952–1954 (First elected CM) |
| K. Kamaraj | Congress | 1954–1963 (transformed education) |
| M. Bhaktavatsalam | Congress | 1963–1967 |
| C.N. Annadurai (Anna) | DMK | 1967–1969 (first non-Congress CM) |
| M. Karunanidhi | DMK | Multiple terms (1969–2011, various) |
| M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) | ADMK | 1977–1987 (introduced Midday Meals) |
| J. Jayalalithaa | AIADMK | Multiple terms (1991–2016) |
| Edappadi K. Palaniswami | AIADMK | 2017–2021 |
| M.K. Stalin | DMK | 2021–present |
State Public Service Commission (SPSC)
- Each State has its own Public Service Commission (Article 315)
- Tamil Nadu has TNPSC (Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission) — this very exam!
- Members appointed by Governor
- Can be removed only by President (not Governor)
- Conducts recruitment examinations for State government posts
Relationship between Centre and State (Article 200, 356)
Article 200: Governor can give assent, withhold assent, or reserve a Bill for President's consideration.
Article 356 — President's Rule (Governor's Rule):
- Invoked when Governor reports that constitutional governance is not possible
- President's Rule = State government dismissed; Governor administers directly
- Must be approved by Parliament within 2 months
- Maximum 3 years total in a state
- 44th Amendment: President's Rule cannot exceed 1 year without specific conditions
Important for Exam - Governor appointed by President; min age 35; term 5 years (pleasure of President) - Governor's oath by Chief Justice of High Court - Tamil Nadu = 234 Assembly seats; unicameral; Legislative Council abolished in 1986 - First elected CM of Tamil Nadu = C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji), 1952 - Article 356 = President's Rule - TNPSC members appointed by Governor; removed by President - CM appointed by Governor; responsible to State Legislative Assembly
Previous Year TNPSC Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
Q1
The Governor of a State is appointed by:
Q2
Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has how many seats?
Q3
Who administers the oath of office to the Governor of a State?
Q4
Article 356 of the Constitution deals with:
Q5
The first elected Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was:
Q6
Members of TNPSC (Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission) are removed by: