List of Chief Ministers, Governors

List of Chief Ministers and Governors of India: India currently has 28 states and 8 Union Territories. While the states are administered by the Chief Ministers, the Union Territories (UTs) are administered by the President through an Administrator or Lt. Governor appointed by the Indian President.

The Chief Minister of an Indian State is appointed by the Governor of that particular state according to Article 164 of the Indian Constitution and the Chief Minister serves as a liaison between the Governor and the Council of Ministers of the State.

In this article by Veranda RACE, we discuss the Chief Ministers and Governors of the Indian States and Union Territories. In the General Awareness/General Knowledge section of Bank exams (PO, Clerk, Grade A, Grade B, SO, Assistant), Insurance Exams (Assistant, Administrative Officer, etc.), SSC Exams (SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS, GD Constable), Railway Exams (RRB NTPC, RRB Group D, RRB ALP) and TNPSC Exams (TNPSC Group 4, TNPSC Group 2, TNPSC Group 2A, TNPSC Group 1), candidates can expect around Chief Minister (CM) and Governors of Indian states and union territories.

Here, let's have a look at the current Chief Ministers and Governors of Indian states and union territories and also Lt. Governors and Administrators of Indian Union Territories in 2026.

Chief Minister of an Indian State

The Chief Minister (CM) of an Indian is the elected head of the state government. He is responsible for implementing policies of the state, managing its resources and overseeing various administrative functions of the state. The Chief Minister is the leader of the largest party in the state legislature.

Appointment of Chief Minister:

According to Article 164 of the Indian Constitution, the Chief Minister of state is appointed by the Governor. Usually, the leader of the party (or coalition) commanding a majority in the state Legislative Assembly is invited to form the government of the state.

Although the Governor is the nominal executive head of the state, real executive authority rests with the Chief Minister.

A person who is not a member of the state legislature can be appointed as Chief Minister of a state but must secure election to either House within six months; failing this, they must resign.

Term of a Chief Minister:

The Chief Minister of a state holds office during the pleasure of the Governor. However, as long as the Chief Minister of a state enjoys the confidence of the State Legislative Assembly, they cannot be dismissed by the Governor. The Legislative Assembly may remove the Chief Minister of a state by passing a vote of no-confidence.

Powers and Functions:

The Governor appoints the Council of Ministers of a state based on the Chief Minister's advice. The Chief Minister allocates and reshuffles portfolios among Council of Ministers. The resignation of the Chief Minister leads to the dissolution of the entire Council of Ministers.

Under Article 167, the Chief Minister of a state acts as the principal communication link between the Governor and the Council of Ministers. The Chief Minister advises the Governor on important appointments, such as the Advocate General, Chairman and members of the State Public Service Commission and State Election Commission.

The Chief Minister announces major government policies and decisions on the floor of the House. They advise the Governor to dissolve the Legislative Assembly when necessary.

Other Roles:

• Chairman of the State Planning Board
• Rotational Vice-Chairman of the concerned Zonal Council (serving for one year at a time)
• Member of the Inter-State Council
• Member of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog
• Acts as the chief spokesperson of the State Government
• Serves as the political head of the state's administrative machinery and manages political crises
• Engages with public delegations and addresses grievances brought to the government’s attention

List of Chief Ministers of Indian States in 2026

Chief Ministers of Indian Union Territories in 2026

Only three Indian Union Territories of India have separate Chief Ministers — Puducherry, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir.

Governor of an Indian State

The Governor is the chief executive head of the state. As per convention, he should not belong to the state where he is appointed to remain free from local politics. The Indian President appoints the Governor by warrant under his hand and seal, after consulting the Chief Minister of the concerned state.

The Governor is not elected directly or indirectly, unlike the President. He holds office at the pleasure of the President and can be removed at any time. Although appointed by the Central Government, the Governor’s office is an independent constitutional office and not employment under the Central Government.

The Governor is entitled to a rent-free official residence (Raj Bhavan) and receives emoluments and allowances determined by Parliament, which cannot be reduced during his term.

If the same person is appointed as Governor for multiple states, their emoluments are shared among the states as decided by the Indian President.

Under Article 361, the Governor enjoys immunity from legal liability for official acts and is protected from criminal proceedings during his term; however, civil cases can be filed with two months' prior notice for personal acts.

Before entering office, the Governor takes an oath administered by the Chief Justice or the senior-most judge of the concerned High Court, pledging to preserve the Constitution and serve the people of the state.

Key constitutional provisions include Article 153 (Governor for each state; one person can serve multiple states), Articles 157 and Article 158 (qualifications and conditions of office), and Article 163 (Council of Ministers with Chief Minister to aid and advise the Governor, except in matters requiring discretion).

Governors of Indian States in 2026

On 6 March 2026, Indian President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Governors in different States and Lt. Governors in various Union Territories.

Shiv Pratap Shukla was appointed as the new Governor of Telangana in March 2026. Dev Varma was appointed as the Governor of the state of Maharashtra.

Former Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav was appointed as the Governor of Nagaland.

Lieutenant General (Rtd.) Syed Ata Hasnain was appointed as the Governor of Bihar.

R.N. Ravi was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal since President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of the Governor of West Bengal, Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose.

Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who is currently the Governor of Kerala, will discharge the functions of the Governor of Tamil Nadu.

Kavinder Gupta was appointed as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh.

Lt. Governors & Administrators of Indian Union Territories in 2026

The Union Territories of India are governed by Lieutenant Governors or Administrators. The Lt. Governors and Administrators oversee the governance of the Union Territories on behalf of the Central Government. They serve as representatives of the President of India, ensuring the implementation of central policies and governance in the absence of a state legislature.

To be clear, the following Indian Union Territories have Lieutenant Governors – Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi (NCT), Jammu & Kashmir, Puducherry, Ladakh.

The following Indian Union Territories have Administrators – Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep.

On 6 March 2026, President Droupadi Murmu made the new appointments for various union territories. Vinai Kumar Saxena was appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh. Former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu was appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

Important Facts & Figures on Chief Ministers & Governors

Female Chief Ministers: (as of 15 March 2026)

At present (as of 1 Apr 2025), Mamta Banerjee from West Bengal and Rekha Gupta from Delhi (NCT) remain the sole female Chief Ministers of a state or an union territory in India. Mamata Banerjee has been serving as the Chief Minister of West Bengal since 2011.

Rekha Gupta, a first time MLA in Delhi, became the Chief Minister of Delhi (NCT) in February 2025. She became the fourth female Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Delhi (NCT).

Longest Serving Chief Minister: (as of 15 March 2026)

Sikkim’s former Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling holds the record of helming a state for the longest time — 24 years and 166 days between the period December 1994 and May 2019.

Odisha’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik became the second longest-serving Chief Minister of a state in India with a tenure of 23

years and 139 days in 2023 surpassing the record of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu.

Recent Appointments

Lieutenant General (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain sworn in as Bihar Governor (March 2026)

Lieutenant General (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain was sworn in as the 43rd Governor of Bihar on 14 March 2025 at a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Patna. Patna High Court Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Hasnain at a ceremony at the Lok Bhavan.
With this, Syed Ata Hasnain became the first former Indian Army officer to serve as the Governor of Bihar. He succeeded Arif Mohammad Khan as the Governor of Bihar.

Nand Kishore Yadav sworn in as the 23rd Governor of Nagaland (March 2026)

Nand Kishore Yadav was sworn in as the 23rd Governor of Nagaland in a ceremony held at Dr. Imkongliba Ao Hall, Lok Bhavan, Kohima on 13 March 2026. The oath of office was administered by the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Justice Ashutosh Kumar, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Dr. Neiphiu Rio.
He served as the 17th Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, a role he served in until he was appointed Governor of Nagaland.

Jishnu Dev Varma sworn in as the 22nd Governor of Maharashtra (March 2026)

Jishnu Dev Varma, a member of the Manikya royal dynasty of Tripura and former Governor of Telangana, was sworn in as the 22nd Governor of Maharashtra on 10 March 2026. Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, administered the oath of office to Jishnu Dev Varma at Darbar Hall of Maharashtra Lok Bhavan in Mumbai.
Prior to his appointment in Maharashtra, Jishnu Dev Varma was serving as the Governor of Telangana from 31 July 2024. From 2018 to 2023, Jishnu Dev Varma served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura. He also has a keen interest in modern art, painting and sculpture, was the Convener of the Tripura chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and coordinated the organisation’s activities in Northeast India. He is also a noted writer and poet.

Vinai Kumar Saxena sworn in as 4th Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh (March 2026)

Vinai Kumar Saxena took oath as the 4th Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh at a ceremony held at the Arya Nagarjuna Auditorium of the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies in Choglamsar on 13 March 2026. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Arun Palli.

R.N. Ravi sworn in as the Governor of West Bengal (March 2026)

Former Intelligence Bureau officer and former Tamil Nadu Governor Rabindra Narayan Ravi was sworn in as the Governor of West Bengal on 12 March 2026. RN Ravi is the 22nd Governor of West Bengal and will replace C.V. Ananda Bose, who resigned on 5 March 2026.
He was administered the oath by Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Pal.
He served as the Deputy National Security Advisor in October 2018. He served as the Governor of Nagaland from August 2019 till September 2021. He also served as the 26th Governor of Tamil Nadu from September 2021 until March 2026.

Kavinder Gupta appointed as the new Lt. Governor of Ladakh (July 2025)

Kavinder Gupta was appointed as the new Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh by President Droupadi Murmu on 14 July 2025. He will be the the third Lt. Governor of Ladakh. He served as the mayor of Jammu for three consecutive terms. He was also the former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. He replaced Brig. (retd.) B.D Mishra as the Lt. Governor of Ladakh.

Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh appointed as the Governor of Haryana (July 2025)

Professor Ashim Kumar Ghosh was appointed as the Governor of the state of Haryana on 14 July 2025 by President Droupadi Murmu. He will succeed Bandaru Dattatreya as the Haryana Governor. He is an academic and a senior politician from the state of West Bengal. He went to serve as professor of pollical science before joining politics.

Ashok Gajapathi Raju was appointed Goa Governor (July 2025)

Former Civil Aviation Minister Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju was appointed as the new Governor of Goa. He is the 20th Governor of Goa. He is a scion of royal family of Vizianagaram princely state and is the younger son of the last Maharaja of Vizianagaram. He was appointed as Governor of Goa by the Indian President on 14 July 2025. He was a member of the Andhra Pradesh State legislature for over twenty five years and was a State Minister.

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla takes oath as Nagaland Governor with additional charge (August 2025)

Current Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla was sworn in as the 22nd Governor of Nagaland on 22 August 2025. Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been given the additional charge, following the demise of Nagaland's Governor La Ganesan.
Bhalla was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Justice Ashutosh Kumar.

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We hope that this Veranda RACE article elevates your understanding of the crucial details for the upcoming government exams, whether it be Indian states, chief ministers of Indian states, governors, Lt. Governors or Administrators of Union Territories of India.