Current Affairs Topics Archive
International Relations Economics Polity & Governance Environment & Ecology Science & Technology Internal Security Geography Social Issues Art & Culture Modern History

Big governor reshuffle: Rashtrapati Bhavan issues orders for changes across 9 states and UTs - full list

March 05, 2026 5 min read Polity & Governance GS2
On This Page ▼

What Happened

  • President Droupadi Murmu signed orders for a sweeping reshuffle of Governors and Lieutenant Governors across 9 states and Union Territories on March 5, 2026.
  • West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose resigned, triggering the cascade of appointments; Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi was moved to West Bengal.
  • Taranjit Singh Sandhu (former diplomat, ex-Ambassador to the US) was appointed Delhi's new Lieutenant Governor, replacing Vinai Kumar Saxena who moved to Ladakh as LG.
  • Kavinder Gupta (erstwhile Ladakh LG) was appointed Himachal Pradesh Governor; Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain was named Bihar Governor.
  • Shiv Pratap Shukla moved from Himachal Pradesh to Telangana as Governor; Jishnu Dev Varma shifted from Telangana to Maharashtra; Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar given additional charge of Tamil Nadu; former Bihar minister Nand Kishore Yadav appointed Nagaland Governor.
  • The reshuffle coincides with West Bengal's 2026 Assembly election cycle, drawing political commentary on timing.

Static Topic Bridges

Article 155 — Appointment of Governor

The Constitution under Article 155 vests the power of appointing a Governor exclusively in the President ("The Governor of a State shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal"). This is a purely executive act of the Union government exercised through the President. The founding framers consciously chose presidential appointment over direct election (as recommended by some Constituent Assembly members) to maintain a federal link between the Union and states while keeping the office non-partisan. In practice, because the President acts on the aid and advice of the Union Cabinet under Article 74, it is the Council of Ministers that effectively decides gubernatorial appointments.

  • Article 155: Governor appointed by the President — no parliamentary confirmation required (unlike in the US Senate model).
  • Article 157: Qualifications — must be an Indian citizen aged at least 35 years; cannot be a member of any legislature; must not hold any other office of profit.
  • Article 158(1): Governor cannot be a member of Parliament or state legislature; Article 158(3A): same person can serve as Governor of two or more states (allowing "additional charge" arrangements as seen with Tamil Nadu in this reshuffle).
  • The Sarkaria Commission (1988) recommended that persons appointed as Governors should be eminent in their field, detached from local politics, and should not have participated in active politics in the recent past — recommendations frequently cited but inconsistently followed.
  • The Punchhi Commission (2010) further recommended a statutory role for the Chief Minister in Governor appointments and a fixed, non-renewable 5-year term.

Connection to this news: This reshuffle involved transfers and "additional charge" arrangements (Kerala Governor discharging Tamil Nadu functions) — both permissible under Article 158(3A), illustrating the wide discretion the Union holds in managing gubernatorial appointments.

Article 156 — Tenure and Removal of Governors

Under Article 156, a Governor "shall hold office during the pleasure of the President" with a nominal 5-year term. There is no removal procedure specified in the Constitution analogous to impeachment — the President (acting on Cabinet advice) can remove a Governor at any time. However, the Supreme Court in B.P. Singhal v. Union of India (2010) held that while the power to remove is absolute in form, it cannot be exercised arbitrarily, capriciously, or unreasonably. The Court ruled that removal of a Governor solely due to the Central Government's loss of confidence, or because of political disagreement, is impermissible. Compelling and valid reasons must exist, though they need not be communicated to the Governor.

  • Article 156(1): Governor holds office "during the pleasure of the President" — no fixed security of tenure.
  • Article 156(3): Normal term is 5 years from the date of entering office; continues beyond 5 years until successor assumes charge.
  • B.P. Singhal v. Union of India (2010): Supreme Court (5-judge Constitution Bench) — power of removal cannot be used arbitrarily; "pleasure doctrine" is subject to judicial review but courts cannot inquire into sufficiency of reasons.
  • A Governor may also resign under Article 156(2) by addressing the resignation to the President — CV Ananda Bose's departure was through resignation, not removal.

Connection to this news: Bose's resignation, combined with the simultaneous large-scale reshuffle, raises questions about the thin constitutional line between a voluntary resignation and a resignation under political pressure — a distinction B.P. Singhal attempted but did not fully resolve.

Governor Transfers — Constitutional Permissibility

The Constitution does not explicitly mention transfer of Governors between states but permits the same person to hold charge of multiple states (Article 158(3A)). Transfers of Governors are therefore treated as fresh appointments by the President. The Sarkaria Commission viewed frequent transfers as undermining gubernatorial independence, noting that a Governor who is aware that they can be transferred at will has a diminished ability to act impartially.

  • Article 158(3A) (inserted by 7th Constitutional Amendment, 1956): The same person can be appointed Governor of two or more states.
  • Transfers have been upheld as legally valid exercises of presidential power.
  • RN Ravi's transfer from Tamil Nadu to West Bengal follows a pattern used in politically sensitive states approaching elections.
  • Former IFS officer Taranjit Singh Sandhu's appointment as Delhi LG marks a departure from the typical politician-appointee pattern for this post.

Connection to this news: Nine simultaneous transfers/appointments represent one of the larger reshuffles in recent years, reflecting the Union's broad discretion under Articles 155-158 to reconfigure the gubernatorial map as political circumstances demand.

Key Facts & Data

  • Total appointments in this reshuffle: 9 (spanning states and UTs)
  • States covered: West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Delhi (UT), Ladakh (UT), Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Maharashtra, Nagaland
  • CV Ananda Bose was appointed Bengal Governor on November 17, 2022; his tenure was marked by persistent friction with the TMC government over university vice-chancellor appointments and law-and-order matters.
  • Taranjit Singh Sandhu served as India's Ambassador to the United States (2020–2023) and High Commissioner to Canada earlier in his career.
  • Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain, new Bihar Governor, is a former GOC of 15 Corps (Kashmir); his appointment continues the practice of appointing retired defence officers as Governors.
  • Article 239AA makes Delhi's LG constitutionally distinct from other UTs — the LG of Delhi exercises powers over public order, police, and land that are reserved from the elected government.
  • Sarkaria Commission (1988) and Punchhi Commission (2010): both recommended consultations with the Chief Minister before appointing a Governor — a convention more honoured in the breach.