The Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor (LG) is the head of each Union Territory. The LG is appointed by the President under Article 239 and holds office during the President's pleasure.
Powers of the J&K LG under the Act
| Area | What the LG can do |
|---|---|
| Legislature | Summons, prorogues and dissolves the Assembly (Section 18); addresses it (Section 21); sends messages on Bills (Section 23). |
| Appointments | Appoints the Chief Minister, and other Ministers on the CM's advice (Section 54); appoints the Advocate-General (Section 79). |
| Bills | Assents, withholds assent or reserves a Bill for the President. Some Bills (for example on the High Court) must be reserved. |
| Money | Certain financial Bills need the LG's recommendation. The LG lays the annual financial statement. |
| Ordinances | May promulgate Ordinances when the Assembly is not in session (Section 52). |
| Discretion | Acts in his discretion on matters outside the Assembly's powers (Police and Public Order), on All India Services and the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and where the law requires (Section 53). |
Aid and advice
- On matters within the Assembly's powers, the LG acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
- On matters of discretion, the LG's decision is final, and courts cannot ask whether advice was given.
- Section 55 lets the Business Rules decide how work is divided and how a difference between LG and Council is handled.
The 2024 change to the business rules
On 12 July 2024, the Home Ministry notified the Transaction of Business of the Government of UT of J&K (Second Amendment) Rules, 2024 (approved by the President under Section 55). They said that proposals about police, public order, All India Services and the Anti-Corruption Bureau that need the Finance Department's concurrence must first go to the LG. The LG also gets the first decision on appointing the Advocate-General and law officers, and on sanction for prosecution and appeals. Opposition parties, including the NC and PDP, criticised the move as reducing the elected government's powers.
Who has held the office
| UT | LG | Period |
|---|---|---|
| J&K | G.C. Murmu (first) | 31 Oct 2019 to 5 Aug 2020 (resigned) |
| J&K | Manoj Sinha | 7 Aug 2020 onwards |
| Ladakh | R.K. Mathur (first) | 31 Oct 2019 to 16 Feb 2023 |
| Ladakh | B.D. Mishra | 16 Feb 2023 to 18 Jul 2025 |
| Ladakh | Kavinder Gupta | 18 Jul 2025 to 13 Mar 2026 |
| Ladakh | Vinai Kumar Saxena | 13 Mar 2026 onwards |
Keep practising
Notes are only half the work. Test yourself with questions and discuss doubts with other aspirants.
Prepared for exam revision from standard sources, official publications and the Census. Figures and recent developments change, so check official sources before relying on them. Found a mistake? Tell us.