Acharya Devvrat Takes Oath as Maharashtra Governor

On 15 September 2025, Acharya Devvrat, the Governor of Gujarat, officially took oath as the Governor of Maharashtra at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. The oath of office was administered by Bombay High Court Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar. This appointment comes following the vacation of the post by C.P. Radhakrishnan, who was recently elected as the Vice-President of India. President Droupadi Murmu had, earlier last week, appointed Devvrat to discharge the functions of Maharashtra Governor in addition to his existing responsibilities in Gujarat.

Who is Acharya Devvrat?

• Acharya Devvrat, a veteran educator and former principal of a Gurukul, has been serving as Governor of Gujarat since July 2019. Prior to that, he was the Governor of Himachal Pradesh (2015–2019). Known for his interest in education, Ayurveda, and natural farming, he is seen as a close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of cultural and agricultural reform.
• His additional charge of Maharashtra marks another instance of Indian governors being assigned dual responsibilities—a common administrative practice when a state’s governorship falls temporarily vacant.

Why the Change Was Needed

• C.P. Radhakrishnan, who was serving as the Governor of Maharashtra since February 2023, was recently elected as India’s 15th Vice-President. His resignation created a temporary vacuum at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai, prompting the Centre to entrust Devvrat with interim responsibilities.
• The President’s move ensures that constitutional continuity is maintained until a new, full-time Governor is appointed. Such interim arrangements are often necessary in India’s federal setup, particularly during politically sensitive times or administrative transitions.

Constitutional and Political Context

• According to Article 153 of the Indian Constitution, there shall be a Governor for each state, but the same person can be appointed as Governor of two or more states. This legal provision allows the President of India to assign additional charge of a state’s governorship to an existing governor.
• Such appointments are made by the President, based on the advice of the Union Cabinet. In recent years, this practice has been used in various states, such as when the Governor of Kerala was given additional charge of Tamil Nadu or when Governors temporarily oversaw Union Territories.

Important Takeaways

• Acharya Devvrat took oath as Governor of Maharashtra on 15 September 2025.
• He will continue as Governor of Gujarat, holding dual responsibility.
• C.P. Radhakrishnan, the previous Governor, vacated office after being elected Vice-President of India.
• Oath was administered by Bombay High Court Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar.
• Appointment made by President Droupadi Murmu under Article 153 of the Constitution.