Chief Minister of Bihar
Static GKChief Minister of Bihar
Chief Minister of Bihar
The Chief Minister of Bihar is the de facto head of the executive branch of the Government of Bihar. While the Governor serves as the constitutional and ceremonial head of the state, real executive authority rests with the Chief Minister. The office functions within the constitutional framework established by India.
The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor following elections to the Bihar Legislative Assembly. Typically, the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Assembly is invited to form the government. Upon assuming office, the Chief Minister constitutes a Council of Ministers and allocates portfolios to oversee various departments of the state government. The Council operates collectively under the leadership of the Chief Minister and remains accountable to the Legislative Assembly.
Powers and Responsibilities
The Chief Minister plays a central role in the governance and administration of Bihar. Key responsibilities include:
- Presiding over cabinet meetings and coordinating policy decisions.
- Drafting and implementing state policies.
- Presenting the annual state budget.
- Maintaining law and order in the state.
- Promoting economic development, infrastructure growth, and public welfare initiatives.
- Ensuring administrative efficiency across government departments.
- Coordinating with the Union Government and advocating Bihar’s interests at the national level.
- The Chief Minister also serves as the Leader of the House in the Legislative Assembly, guiding legislative business and shaping the government’s agenda.
Tenure and Constitutional Position
The tenure of the Chief Minister is five years, concurrent with the term of the Legislative Assembly. However, continuation in office depends on maintaining the confidence of the Assembly. The Chief Minister can be removed through a vote of no confidence. There are no term limits, allowing individuals to serve multiple consecutive or non-consecutive terms.
Historical Background
Before independence, Bihar was part of the Bihar and Orissa Province. Under the Government of India Act, 1935, a bicameral legislature was introduced, consisting of a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council. The head of the provincial government was designated as the Premier.
In 1937, Mohammad Yunus became the first Premier of Bihar, serving from 1 April 1937 to 19 July 1937 and representing the Muslim Independent Party.
He was succeeded by Shri Krishna Sinha of the Indian National Congress, who initially served as Premier from 20 July 1937 to 31 October 1939. After independence, he became Bihar’s first Chief Minister in 1946, marking the transition from colonial provincial governance to a democratic state framework.
The designation of “Premier” was formally replaced by “Chief Minister” following India’s independence in 1947, reflecting the establishment of responsible government under the Constitution of India.
Contemporary Leadership
Since 1946, 24 individuals have held the office of Chief Minister of Bihar. The current office-holder is Samrat Choudhary, who assumed office on April 15, 2026. Prior to this, Nitish Kumar established a record as the longest-serving Chief Minister in the state’s history, having held the position across multiple terms until April 2026.
Current Administration (2026):
- Chief Minister: Samrat Choudhary (BJP)
- Deputy Chief Ministers: Bijendra Prasad Yadav (JDU) and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary (JDU)
- Current Governor: Lieutenant General (Retired) Syed Ata Hasnain (Sworn in as the 43rd Governor of Bihar)
- Assembly Status: The NDA coalition holds a significant majority.
List of Chief Ministers of Bihar
The office of the Chief Minister of Bihar was formally established in 1946, prior to India’s independence. Since then, the position has evolved into the most powerful executive authority in the state, functioning within the constitutional framework of India. The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor and must enjoy the confidence of the Bihar Legislative Assembly. Below is a consolidated table of the Chief Ministers of Bihar.
Chief Minister
Term of Office
Party
Shri Krishna Sinha
15 Aug 1947 – 31 Jan 1961
INC
Deep Narayan Singh
1 Feb 1961 – 18 Feb 1961
INC
Binodanand Jha
18 Feb 1961 – 2 Oct 1963
INC
Krishna Ballabh Sahay
2 Oct 1963 – 5 Mar 1967
INC
Mahamaya Prasad Sinha
5 Mar 1967 – 28 Jan 1968
JKD
Satish Prasad Singh
28 Jan 1968 – 1 Feb 1968
Shoshit Dal
B. P. Mandal
1 Feb 1968 – 22 Mar 1968
Shoshit Dal
Bhola Paswan Shastri
22 Mar 1968 – 29 Jun 1968
INC
President's Rule
29 Jun 1968 – 26 Feb 1969
-
Harihar Singh
26 Feb 1969 – 22 Jun 1969
INC
Bhola Paswan Shastri
22 Jun 1969 – 4 Jul 1969
INC (O)
President's Rule
6 Jul 1969 – 16 Feb 1970
-
Daroga Prasad Rai
16 Feb 1970 – 22 Dec 1970
INC (R)
Karpoori Thakur
22 Dec 1970 – 2 Jun 1971
Socialist
Bhola Paswan Shastri
2 Jun 1971 – 9 Jan 1972
INC (R)
President's Rule
9 Jan 1972 – 19 Mar 1972
-
Kedar Pandey
19 Mar 1972 – 2 Jul 1973
INC (R)
Abdul Ghafoor
2 Jul 1973 – 11 Apr 1975
INC (R)
Jagannath Mishra
11 Apr 1975 – 30 Apr 1977
INC (R)
President's Rule
30 Apr 1977 – 24 Jun 1977
-
Karpoori Thakur
24 Jun 1977 – 21 Apr 1979
Janata Party
Ram Sundar Das
21 Apr 1979 – 17 Feb 1980
Janata Party
President's Rule
17 Feb 1980 – 8 Jun 1980
-
Jagannath Mishra
8 Jun 1980 – 14 Aug 1983
INC (I)
Chandrashekhar Singh
14 Aug 1983 – 12 Mar 1985
INC (I)
Bindeshwari Dubey
12 Mar 1985 – 13 Feb 1988
INC (I)
Bhagwat Jha Azad
14 Feb 1988 – 10 Mar 1989
INC (I)
Satyendra Narayan Sinha
11 Mar 1989 – 6 Dec 1989
INC (I)
Jagannath Mishra
6 Dec 1989 – 10 Mar 1990
INC (I)
Lalu Prasad Yadav
10 Mar 1990 – 28 Mar 1995
Janata Dal
President's Rule
28 Mar 1995 – 4 Apr 1995
-
Lalu Prasad Yadav
4 Apr 1995 – 25 Jul 1997
RJD
Rabri Devi
25 Jul 1997 – 11 Feb 1999
RJD
President's Rule
11 Feb 1999 – 9 Mar 1999
-
Rabri Devi
9 Mar 1999 – 2 Mar 2000
RJD
Nitish Kumar
(1st term)
3 Mar 2000 – 10 Mar 2000
Samata
Rabri Devi
11 Mar 2000 – 6 Mar 2005
RJD
President's Rule
7 Mar 2005 – 24 Nov 2005
-
Nitish Kumar
(2nd term)
24 Nov 2005 – 2010
JD(U)
Nitish Kumar
(3rd term)
2010 – 20 May 2014
JD(U)
Jitan Ram Manjhi
20 May 2014 – 22 Feb 2015
JD(U)
Nitish Kumar
(4th term)
22 Feb 2015 – Nov 20, 2015
JD(U)
Nitish Kumar
(5h term)
Nov 20, 2015 – Nov 16, 2020
JD(U)
Nitish Kumar
(6th term)
Nov 16, 2020 – 9 August 2022
JD(U)
Nitish Kumar
(7th term)
9 August 2022 – 28 January 2024
JD(U)
Nitish Kumar
(8th term)
28 January 2024 – 21 March 2025
JD(U)
Nitish Kumar
(9th term)
21 March 2025 – 20 Nov 2025
JD(U)
Nitish Kumar (10th term)
20 Nov 2025 - April 14, 2026
JD(U)
Samrat Choudhary
April 15, 2026
(BJP)