List of Chief Ministers and Governors of Indian States and Union Territories

• Overview
• Appointment and Tenure
• Executive Role
• Constitutional Powers
• Current Administrative Highlights
• Governors of Indian States

The Governor is the constitutional head of each state in India under Article 154 of the Constitution. Executive power of the state is formally vested in the Governor, who ranks 4th in the Indian order of precedence. Though the Governor is the de jure head, the real executive authority rests with the elected government. This structure mirrors the relationship between the President and Prime Minister at the Union level.

Appointment and Tenure

The Governor is appointed by the President of India and normally holds office for a five-year term. However, the Governor serves at the pleasure of the President, meaning removal or resignation before completion of the term is constitutionally valid, though uncommon.

• Appointed by the President
• Normal tenure: 5 years
• Holds office at President’s pleasure
• Can leave office before full term

Executive Role and Functioning

All executive actions of the state are carried out in the name of the Governor. In practice, the Governor acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister. Thus, real governance authority lies with the elected leadership, maintaining democratic accountability.

• Executive actions taken in Governor’s name
• Acts on advice of Council of Ministers
• Chief Minister leads real executive authority
• Comparable to Union executive model

Constitutional Powers

The Constitution provides the Governor with important discretionary and formal powers to safeguard governance and constitutional order in the state.

• Appoints or dismisses the ministry
• Can recommend President’s Rule
• May reserve bills for President’s assent
• Ensures constitutional functioning of the state

Current Administrative Highlights

Age-related Highlights

Age records among current governors reflect senior administrative leadership.

• Oldest Governor: Anandiben Patel (Uttar Pradesh), 84 years

• Youngest Governor: Ajay Kumar Bhalla (Manipur), 65 years

Governors of Indian States

In India, the Governor serves as the constitutional head of a state, appointed by the President to act as a vital link between the Union and State governments. This list provides the current incumbents who oversee the executive functions and uphold the constitutional machinery across various Indian states.

State

Governor

Took Office

Appointer

Andhra Pradesh

Syed Abdul Nazeer

24 Feb 2023

Droupadi Murmu

Arunachal Pradesh

K. T. Parnaik

16 Feb 2023

Droupadi Murmu

Assam

Lakshman Acharya

30 July 2024

Droupadi Murmu

Bihar

Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.)

14 March 2026

Droupadi Murmu

Chhattisgarh

Ramen Deka

31 July 2024

Droupadi Murmu

Goa

Ashok Gajapathi Raju

26 July 2025

Droupadi Murmu

Gujarat

Acharya Dev Vrat

22 July 2019

Ram Nath Kovind

Haryana

Ashim Kumar Ghosh

21 July 2025

Droupadi Murmu

Himachal Pradesh

Kavinder Gupta

10 March 2026

Droupadi Murmu

Jharkhand

Santosh Kumar Gangwar

31 July 2024

Droupadi Murmu

Karnataka

Thawar Chand Gehlot

11 July 2021

Ram Nath Kovind

Kerala

Rajendra Arlekar

02 Jan 2025

Droupadi Murmu

Madhya Pradesh

Mangubhai C. Patel

08 July 2021

Ram Nath Kovind

Maharashtra

Jishnu Dev Varma

10 March 2026

Droupadi Murmu

Manipur

Ajay Kumar Bhalla

03 Jan 2025

Droupadi Murmu

Meghalaya

C. H. Vijayashankar

30 July 2024

Droupadi Murmu

Mizoram

V. K. Singh

16 Jan 2025

Droupadi Murmu

Nagaland

Nand Kishore Yadav

13 March 2026

Droupadi Murmu

Odisha

K. Hari Babu

03 Jan 2025

Droupadi Murmu

Punjab

Gulab Chand Kataria

31 July 2024

Droupadi Murmu

Rajasthan

Haribhau Bagade

31 July 2024

Droupadi Murmu

Sikkim

Om Prakash Mathur

31 July 2024

Droupadi Murmu

Tamil Nadu

Rajendra Arlekar

12 March 2026

Droupadi Murmu

Telangana

Shiv Pratap Shukla

11 March 2026

Droupadi Murmu

Tripura

N. Indrasena Reddy

26 Oct 2023

Droupadi Murmu

Uttar Pradesh

Anandiben Patel

29 July 2019

Ram Nath Kovind

Uttarakhand

Gurmit Singh

15 Sept 2021

Ram Nath Kovind

West Bengal

R.N. Ravi

12 March 2026

Droupadi Murmu

Lt. Governors & Administrators of Union Territories

Union Territory

Lt. Governor / Administrator

Appointer

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Admiral D.K. Joshi (Retd.)

Ram Nath Kovind

Chandigarh

Gulab Chand Kataria

Droupadi Murmu

Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu

Praful Patel

Ram Nath Kovind

Delhi (NCT)

Taranjit Singh Sandhu

Droupadi Murmu

Jammu & Kashmir

Manoj Sinha

Ram Nath Kovind

Lakshadweep

Praful Patel

Ram Nath Kovind

Puducherry

K. Kailashnathan

Droupadi Murmu

Ladakh

Vinai Kumar Saxena

Droupadi Murmu

Chief Ministers of Indian States and Union Territories

In the Republic of India, the Chief Minister is the head of government for each of the 28 states and three of the eight Union Territories that have legislative assemblies. The Chief Minister plays a vital role in the administration and governance of the state, leading the executive branch and implementing policies and development programs.

Constitutional Position

According to the Constitution of India, the Governor is the de jure (constitutional) head of the state, while the Chief Minister holds the de facto executive authority. Although the Governor formally represents the state, most executive powers are exercised by the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers.

Appointment of the Chief Minister

After elections to the State Legislative Assembly, the Governor usually invites the political party or coalition that has secured a majority of seats to form the government. The leader of that party or coalition is appointed as the Chief Minister. Once appointed, the Chief Minister forms a Council of Ministers, which assists in running the state administration.

Term of Office

The Chief Minister’s term generally lasts for five years, provided that the government continues to enjoy the confidence of the Legislative Assembly. If the Chief Minister loses majority support in the assembly, they must resign or seek a vote of confidence. Importantly, the Constitution does not place any limit on the number of terms a person can serve as Chief Minister.

Role as Leader of the House

In most states, the Chief Minister also serves as the Leader of the House in the Legislative Assembly. This role allows the Chief Minister to guide legislative discussions and manage government business in the assembly. Among the current office holders, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin is the only one who does not hold the position of Leader of the House.

Party Representation Among Current Chief Ministers

Among the 31 current Chief Ministers, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds the largest number with 15 Chief Ministers, followed by the Indian National Congress (INC) with three. Other political parties hold one chief ministerial position each.

Longest Serving Chief Ministers

Nitish Kumar of Bihar has had the longest overall tenure, serving as Chief Minister for 19 years and 200 days across multiple terms. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal, who has been in office since 20 May 2011, holds the record for the longest continuous tenure among current Chief Ministers.

Age and Gender Representation

Among the current incumbents, Pinarayi Vijayan of Kerala, aged 80, is the oldest serving Chief Minister, while Pema Khandu of Arunachal Pradesh, aged 46, is the youngest. In terms of gender representation, India currently has two women Chief Ministers: Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal and Rekha Gupta of Delhi.

Chief Ministers of Indian States and Union Territories

Chief Ministers are the elected heads of state governments in India. They play a key role in governing their respective states by implementing policies, managing administration, and promoting development. Each state and certain Union Territories have a Chief Minister who leads the Council of Ministers and works to ensure effective governance.

State / UT

Chief Minister

Took Office (Incumbent)

Party

Andhra Pradesh

N. Chandrababu Naidu

12 June 2024

Telugu Desam Party

Arunachal Pradesh

Pema Khandu

17 July 2016

Bharatiya Janata Party

Assam

Himanta Biswa Sarma (Re-appointed)

May 12, 2026

Bharatiya Janata Party

Bihar

Samrat Choudhary

April 15, 2026

Bharatiya Janata Party

Chhattisgarh

Vishnu Deo Sai

13 December 2023

Bharatiya Janata Party

Delhi (NCT)

Rekha Gupta

20 February 2025

Bharatiya Janata Party

Goa

Pramod Sawant

19 March 2019

Bharatiya Janata Party

Gujarat

Bhupendra Patel

13 September 2021

Bharatiya Janata Party

Haryana

Nayab Singh Saini

12 March 2024

Bharatiya Janata Party

Himachal Pradesh

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

11 December 2022

Indian National Congress

Jammu & Kashmir (UT)

Omar Abdullah

16 October 2024

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference

Jharkhand

Hemant Soren

4 July 2024

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha

Karnataka

D.K. Shivakumar

3 June 2026

Indian National Congress

Kerala

V.D. Satheesan

May 18, 2026

Indian National Congress (UDF)

Madhya Pradesh

Mohan Yadav

13 December 2023

Bharatiya Janata Party

Maharashtra

Devendra Fadnavis

5 December 2024

Bharatiya Janata Party

Manipur

Yumnam Khemchand Singh

4 February 2026

Bharatiya Janata Party

Meghalaya

Conrad Kongkal Sangma

6 March 2018

National People's Party

Mizoram

Lalduhoma

8 December 2023

Zoram People’s Movement

Nagaland

Neiphiu Rio

8 March 2018

Naga People’s Front

Odisha

Mohan Charan Majhi

12 June 2024

Bharatiya Janata Party

Punjab

Bhagwant Singh Mann

16 March 2022

Aam Aadmi Party

Puducherry (Union Territory)

N. Rangaswamy

May 13, 2026

All India N.R. Congress

Rajasthan

Bhajan Lal Sharma

15 December 2023

Bharatiya Janata Party

Sikkim

Prem Singh Tamang (P. S. Golay)

27 May 2019

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha

Tamil Nadu

C. Joseph Vijay

May 10, 2026

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)

Telangana

A. Revanth Reddy

7 December 2023

Indian National Congress

Tripura

Manik Saha

15 May 2022

Bharatiya Janata Party

Uttarakhand

Pushkar Singh Dhami

4 July 2021

Bharatiya Janata Party

Uttar Pradesh

Yogi Adityanath

● 19 March 2017 - 25 March 2022

● 25 March 2022 - Incumbent

Bharatiya Janata Party

West Bengal

Suvendu Adhikari

May 9, 2026

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)