Article 164
Appointment and Tenure of the Chief Minister
Article 164(1) of the Constitution provides that the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor, and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. Ministers "shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor." However, the phrase "pleasure of the Governor" is not absolute — it is constitutionally understood to be subject to the Chief Minister's continuing majority in the Legislative Assembly, as made explicit by Article 164(2).
- Article 164(2): The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly of the State
- Collective responsibility is the foundation: if a government loses the confidence of the Assembly, the constitutional basis for remaining in office collapses
- A Chief Minister who has lost a majority in the House has no right to continue in office — the Governor's "pleasure" is the constitutional mechanism through which the transition is effected
- Article 164(4): A Minister who is not a member of the Legislature for six consecutive months ceases to be a Minister
● Tracked since May 06, 2026 · last seen May 09, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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