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Despite attracting a monthly salary of RS 3.5 Lakh, only surpassed by the president and enjoying other benefits, former governors have no right to the pension that once leaves the position.
The only benefit after the retirement received by governors is medical coverage for the treatment of the disease.
In a turn of the events that underline the role of governors in politics, an emblematic sentence pronounced by the Supreme Court on April 8, 2025 revived the debate on the governor power, constitutional responsibilities and their subsequent retreats. The Court ruling clarified the limits and responsibilities of the President and the governors under articles 200 and 201 of the Constitution, emphasizing that the constitutional authorities cannot indefinitely delay the will of a chosen assembly.
This is produced following a prolonged constitutional confrontation in Tamil Nadu, where Governor Rn Ravi contained the measures on 12 bills approved by the state legislature. Ravi had referred only two of the bills to the President and returned the 10 of the Assembly without taking into account. When the State passed again, he sent them again to the President, which caused a legal and, possible challenge, the verdict of the Supreme Courts.
This saga is only the last of a pattern that develops in several states, including Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, where governors are being accused of acting as representatives for the center: delaying or redirecting Thriction questionnaire of state legislation.
The origins of the governor’s post are in the British domain. After the Law of the Government of India of 1858, the governors operated under the authority of the general governor, serving the British crown. Even the reforms of Montagu-Chalmsford of 1919, which introduced an appearance of self-government, retained the governors as powerful heads of provinces. The Law of the Government of India of 1935 granted provincial autonomy, but retained significant discretionary powers for the governor, as the ability to veto the bills approved by chosen legislatures.
The debates subsequent to the preference on the role of the governor were intense. The first proposals, including the draft Law of the Commonwealth of India (1925), the Nehru (1928) report and the constitution of the free state of Hindustan, imagined retaining the position, but is under the democratic framework. Initially, the members of the Constituent Assembly bowed towards the election of governors. However, however, the idea of a governor appointed by the president, who acts as a representative of the center in the United States, won.
Today, the governor’s role includes monitoring the activities of the state government, keeping the center informed and safeguarding the Constitution. But while the position comes with prestige, power and advantages while in office, life after retirement is a completely different story.
Despite attracting a monthly salary of RS 3.5 Lakh, only surpassed by the president and enjoying benefits, including official residences, staff and generous subsidies ranging from the trip to communication to the furniture, they are entitled to the former governors. OFFICE. There is no provision for a pension under the Law of Governors (emoluments, assignments and privileges) of 1982. The only benefit after retirement is medical coverage for the treatment of the disease.
This contrasts with Virtualy in any other high -ranking public office. From the president to the members of Parliament and even the MLA, the retirement benefits are standard. But the governors, despite being the constitutional chiefs of the states, remain to fend for themselves, unless they previously served in other government roles.
The vast majority of the governors are based on the ranks of the officers of IAS retired, the former ministers of the Union, the senior military officials or the main diplomats. As such, they are typically houses of their previous careers. But those few who reach the position without a prior pensionable role do not receive government assistance when giving up, separated from medical support.
The debate on the governor’s pensions is not new. In 2008, the center tried to introduce a provision of pensions for former governors, but failed to reach a consensus of the states. The dead point reappeared in 2012 when Interior Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, presented the bill of the amendment of the governors in Lok Sabha.
The bill proposes a monthly assignment of RS 1.1 Lakh and the life of a lifetime of a personal employee that wins 25,000 rupees per month. However, he faced a strong resistance from the states, which since the governors serve as emissaries from the center, their benefits subsequent to retirement must also be assumed by the center, not the bonds of the states of the states. The proposal stagnated and has not revived the leg since then.