The nominal head of a State's executive — appointed, not elected, and with wider discretion than the President.
Every State has a Governor, who is the constitutional head of the State executive. Unlike the President, the Governor is appointed by the President (in practice, on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers) and holds office during the pleasure of the President — there is no fixed term and no impeachment process. The normal term is 5 years, but a Governor can be removed or transferred at any time.
The 7th Constitutional Amendment (1956) allows the same person to be appointed Governor of two or more States.
Executive power is exercised on the aid and advice of the State Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister (Article 163) — but the Governor retains a zone of discretionary power wider than the President's, including reserving a bill for the President's consideration (Article 200), recommending President's Rule under Article 356, and, in a hung Assembly, deciding whom to invite to form the government.
Because the Governor is a Union appointee removable at will, the office has repeatedly been accused of being used to destabilise Opposition-ruled State governments. The Sarkaria Commission (1988) and the Punchhi Commission (2010) both recommended fixed tenure and consultation with the State government before appointment — neither has been implemented.
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