The Governor and Lieutenant-Governor

• The Governors and Lieutenant-Governors of the states and territories of India have similar powers and functions at the state level as that of the President of India at Union level.
• Governors exist in the states while Lieutenant-Governors exist in union territories and in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
• The Governor acts as the nominal head whereas the real power lies in the hand of the Chief Ministers of the states and the Chief Minister's Council of Ministers.
• In India, a Lieutenant governor is in charge of a Union Territory. However the rank is present only in the union territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi and Pondicherry (the other territories have an administrator appointed, who is an IAS officer).
• Lieutenant-Governors hold the same rank as a Governor of a state in the list of precedence.
• The Governor and Lieutenant-Governor are appointed by the President of India and hold the office at the pleasure of the President.
• His usual term of office is 5 yrs but he holds office during the pleasure of the President.
• He can be asked to continue for more time until his successor takes the charge.
• Can give his resignation or can be removed earlier by the President.
• The legislature of a State or a High Court has no role in the removal of a Governor.
• When the same person is appointed as the Governor of two or more States, the emoluments and allowances payable to him shall be allocated among the States in such proportion as determined by the President of India.
• His oath is administered by the Chief Justice of the concerned State High Court and in his absence, the senior – most judge of that Court.