The Constitutional Role of a Governor
By
K. Venkoba Rao
The constitutional position of the President and a Governor are somewhat alike. Two decisions of the Supreme Court have demarcated this. In the first ease of Sardari Lal v. Union of India, AIR 1971 S C 154, the question was whether the words "the President or Governor is satisfied that in the interest of the security of the State it is not expedient to hold such Inquiry" (which is necessary before a civil servant is dismissed or reduced in rank) meant that the President or Governor should personally leal with the case. The Supreme Court answered this question in the affirmative. But in Shamsher Singh v. State of Punjab, AIR 1974 S C 2192, the Supreme Court laid down definitely that the President and Governors are constitutional heads of Government like the Crown in England and must act on the advice of their Ministers. Not the Potomac but the Thames fertilises the flow of the Yamuna because oar Constitution has not followed the Presidential form of Government of U. S. A. U ....