Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 5, 2026 issued a communique on a major reshuffle of Governors and Lieutenant Governors affecting nine States and Union Territories, in one of the largest gubernatorial reorganisations of her tenure. Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, a former Deputy National Security Adviser, was appointed Governor of West Bengal, replacing Dr C V Ananda Bose, whose resignation was accepted earlier the same day. Lieutenant General (Retired) Syed Ata Hasnain was named Governor of Bihar, succeeding Arif Mohammed Khan. Nand Kishore Yadav, former Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, was appointed Governor of Nagaland. Jishnu Dev Varma, earlier Governor of Telangana, was moved to Maharashtra, while Shiv Pratap Shukla, the outgoing Governor of Himachal Pradesh, was sent to Telangana. Kavinder Gupta, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, was appointed Governor of Himachal Pradesh. Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was given additional charge to discharge the functions of the Governor of Tamil Nadu. In the Union Territories, Vinai Kumar Saxena, till then Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, while former diplomat and ex-Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu was named the new Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. The reshuffle, coming ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, drew immediate political reactions, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stating she had not been consulted about Ravi appointment, contrary to established convention. Under Articles 155 and 156 of the Constitution, the President appoints Governors who hold office during his or her pleasure.
President Murmu Announces Major Governor Reshuffle Across 9 States and UTs; R N Ravi Moved to West Bengal, Hasnain Named Bihar Governor
Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 5, 2026 issued a communique appointing Governors and Lt Governors across 9 States and UTs, appointing R N Ravi to West Bengal and Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain to Bihar among other changes.
Key facts
- Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 5, 2026 announced appointments affecting 9 States and UTs — West Bengal, Bihar, Nagaland, Maharashtra, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Ladakh
- R N Ravi moved from Tamil Nadu to West Bengal as Governor, replacing Dr C V Ananda Bose whose resignation was accepted the same day
- Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain appointed Governor of Bihar; former Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav named Governor of Nagaland
- Taranjit Singh Sandhu, former Ambassador to the US, appointed Lt Governor of Delhi; Vinai Kumar Saxena moved to Ladakh as Lt Governor
- Under Articles 155 and 156 of the Constitution, the President appoints Governors who hold office during the pleasure of the President; reshuffle precedes State Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry
PYQPrelims/PYQ angle
- RAS 2024 Role of Governor under Article 200/201 — TN v Governor case — Both address the constitutional role of Governors and federal propriety of gubernatorial appointments and conduct.
- RAS 2024 Institution of Governor — gross fallacy of faint presence — Echoes the institutional weight of the Governor's office which the reshuffle directly tests.
Mains angle
Q: Analyse the constitutional implications of President Murmu's March 2026 reshuffle of Governors across nine States and UTs under Articles 155 and 156, especially ahead of upcoming Assembly elections.
Answer (50 words):
On March 5, 2026, Rashtrapati Bhavan announced Governor and Lieutenant Governor appointments across nine States and UTs under Articles 155 and 156. R N Ravi moved to West Bengal replacing C V Ananda Bose; Syed Ata Hasnain became Bihar Governor. Timing before West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, Puducherry elections raises federal propriety questions.
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Under which Article of the Indian Constitution does a Governor hold office during the pleasure of the President?
Article 156 of the Constitution provides that a Governor shall hold office during the pleasure of the President for a term of five years from the date of assumption of office. Article 155 concerns the mode of appointment by the President, Article 157 lays down the qualifications and Article 158 deals with conditions of the Governor's office.
Source: Business Standard
Frequently asked questions
Which constitutional articles govern the appointment and tenure of Governors?
Articles 155 and 156 of the Constitution govern Governors. Article 155 states that the Governor is appointed by the President by warrant under his or her hand and seal, while Article 156 provides that the Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President for a term of five years from the date of assumption of office.
Who replaced R N Ravi as the Governor handling Tamil Nadu duties?
Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was given additional charge to discharge the functions of the Governor of Tamil Nadu after R N Ravi moved to West Bengal.
Why did the Tamil Nadu to West Bengal move of R N Ravi attract political attention?
R N Ravi’s four-year tenure in Tamil Nadu was marked by public disagreements with the DMK government over the State name, assent to Bills and other issues. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also said she was not consulted about his appointment, contrary to convention.
Who was appointed the new Lieutenant Governor of Delhi?
Former Indian Foreign Service officer and ex-Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu was appointed the new Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, succeeding Vinai Kumar Saxena, who was moved to Ladakh.
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