Governor of Kamrupa
| Governor of Kamrupa कामरूप के राज्यपाल (Hindi) কামৰূপৰ ৰাজ্যপাল (Assamese) কামরূপের রাজ্যপাল (Bengali) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Style | His/Her Excellency |
| Reports to | Rashtradhyaksh Government of Vishwamitra |
| Appointer | Rashtradhyaksh on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers and the Privy Council |
| Term length | At His Illustrious and Royal Majesty's pleasure |
| Constituting instrument | Governorship Act, 2023 |
| Formation | 15 June 2019 (first creation) 17 March 2023 (second creation) |
| First holder | Rajdeep Deka (first creation) Rajdeep Deka (second creation) |
The Governor of Kamrupa (Hindi: कामरूप के राज्यपाल) is the vice-regal representative of the Rashtradhyaksh, the federal ruler and the union government in the state and the ceremonial deputy head of state of the state of Kamrupa who serves as the deputy to the Rajpramukh of Kamrupa, the hereditary executive ruler of the state. The governor is responsible for assisting the Rajpramukh and the state government in the discharge of the administrative and other functions. The governor is also eligible to act as the head of state in the case of the absence of the Rajpramukh.
Following the annexation of the territories of Dadara and Kamrupa, the position of the administrator of the federal territory came into existence on 6 March 2019. On 15 June 2019, statehood was granted to the territory which became "Kamrup Pradesh" and the position of the governor came into existence for the first time. At the time of the first creation, the governor served as the head of state and was responsible for the entire administration of the state. In December 2019, the Kamrupa State Re-organization Bill, 2019 was passed by the parliament which demoted Kamrupa as a union territory under the administration of a lieutenant governor with effect from 1 January 2020. Following Vishwamitra's transition to a monarchy in 2020, the responsibilities rendered by the state governors were transferred to the hereditary rulers known as Rajpramukhs.
In March 2023, the Governorship Bill, 2023 was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Deputy Prime Minister and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Arthur Lacey-Scott-FitzLacia and was subsequently passed by the parliament. The bill received royal assent on 17 March 2023 and thus became an act. Soon after receiving assent, following the provisions laid in the act, the governors of the states were appointed. Rajdeep Deka, the first governor of Kamrup Pradesh was appointed to serve as the governor on 17 March 2023 and remained in office until being transferred as the Governor of Beltola on 14 July 2023. The current serving governor is Bhargab Jyoti Medhi since 12 August 2023.
History
First creation (2019–2020)
In a decision of the government on 6 March 2019, the newly annexed territories of Dadara and Kamrup, along with the union territory of Basistha were made special administrative territories of the nation and placed under the jurisdiction of a local Administrator appointed by the Sovereign (that is the President) on recommendations made by the High Commissioners who were presidential agents in the territories. Accordingly, Ankurjyoti Thakuria was appointed as the first Administrator who served in office from the establishment of the position till the grant of statehood in June 2019.
On 15 June 2019, statehood was granted to Kamrupa which then became the state of Kamrup Pradesh following which the governor became the head of state of the state. Rajdeep Deka, then governor of Madhya Prant was transferred and appointed as the first governor of Kamrup Pradesh. On 25 December 2019, the President conferred his assent to the Kamrup Pradesh Reorganization Bill, 2019 following which the state was demoted to the status of a union territory with effect from 1 January 2020. Saikat Seal was appointed as the first lieutenant governor of the territory thereupon. On 2 February 2020, the role of the state governors were replaced by the Governor-General who became the head of the dominions instead of the states. Kamrupa and Basistha were declared as federal territories and placed under a governor. Manoj Chetry served as the governor thereupon until Kamrupa's becoming a union territory in May 2020 when Manoj Chetry was appointed as the Administrator of Basistha and Kamrupa. On 8 June 2020, the position was abolished following Vishwamitra's transition to a monarchy. The duties of the administrator were transferred to the Rajpramukh of Kamrupa, who is the hereditary executive monarch of the state.
Second creation (2023–present)
The position of the governor came into existence for the second time in 2023 after the passage of the Governorship Act, 2023 by the Lok Sabha and its receiving royal assent on 17 March 2023. Under the provisions of the act, the governors are to be the vice-regal representative of the Rashtradhyaksh and shall serve as deputy to the hereditary state rulers and act as head of state whenever needed. Rajdeep Deka, who had also earlier served as the governor of the state, was appointed as the first governor of the state after the position's re-introduction on 17 March 2023. He remained in office until being transferred as the Governor of Beltola on 14 July 2023 and was succeeded by Princess Bishakha. On 12 August 2023, Basistha governor Bhargab Jyoti Medhi was appointed as the governor of the state in place of Princess Bishakha.
Functions and role
The governor, and on times, the lieutenant governor or administrator, served as the head of state of Kamrupa between 2019 and 2020 having control over large range of responsibilities in the governance of the state. The functions of the governor included:
- discharging the day-to-day affairs of the state.
- maintain law and order and general administration of the state.
- communicate and brief the President about activities in the state.
- appoint the chief minister and other officials upon approval of the President.
Following the re-introduction of the position in March 2023, the functions of the governor have been reduced to largely ceremonial ones. The governor, being the vice-regal representative of the Rashtradhyaksh, shares their duties and functions with the Rajpramukh and performs the functions whenever needed as asked by the Rashtradhyaksh. The principal duty rendered by the governor is to act as a bridge in the communication between the state government and the central government and to relay information to the central government and to convey information from the central government to that of the state.
List of office-holders
Titles
- 6 March – 15 June 2019: Administrator of the Special Administrative Territory of Dadara and Kamrup
- 15 June – 31 December 2019: Governor of Kamrup Pradesh
- 1 January – 10 February 2020: Lieutenant Governor of Kamrupa
- 10 February – 13 May 2020: Governor of Kamrupa
- 13 May – 7 June 2020: Administrator of Kamrupa
- 17 March 2023 – present: Governor of Kamrupa
First creation (2017–2020)
| No. | Portrait | Name (born – died) |
Home state | Tenure in office | Prior positions held | Political party | Appointed by | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Time in office | ||||||||
| Administrators of the Special Administrative Territory of Dadara and Kamrup (6 March – 15 June 2019) | ||||||||||
| 1 | File:Ankurjyoti Thakuria.jpg | Ankurjyoti Thakuria अंकुरज्योति ठाकुरिया (born 2002) |
Dadara and Kamrup | 6 March 2019 |
15 June 2019 |
101 days |
None |
Congress | Varuna Sriraya (President) | |
| Appointed as the first and only administrator of the special administrative territory of Dadara and Kamrup on 6 March 2019 following the territory's annexation with the union. Subsequently, also served as the ex-officio Chancellor of the Order of Basistha and Dame of the Republic as the Administrator of the territory. Continued to remain in office until the grant of statehood to Dadara and Kamrup on 15 June 2019 and being subsequently appointed as the Governor of Uttaranchal. | ||||||||||
| Governors of Kamrup Pradesh (15 June – 31 December 2019) | ||||||||||
| 2 | File:Photo of Rajdeep Deka.jpg | Rajdeep Deka राजदीप डेका (born 2002) |
Uttar Guwahati | 15 June 2019 |
4 September 2019 |
81 days |
|
Congress | Varuna Sriraya (President) | |
| Governor of Madhya Guwahati at the time of appointment. Transferred and subsequently appointed as the first Governor of Kamrup Pradesh following the grant of statehood to the former special administrative territory on 15 June 2019. Oversaw the preliminary development in the state and the government. Subsequently, assigned the additional charge of the Governor of Purvanchal on 1 September 2019 following the resignation of incumbent governor Anirban Phatowali and was later transferred and appointed as the Governor of Purvanchal for a permanent term on 4 September 2019. | ||||||||||
| 3 | 
|
Sampriti Paul संप्रीति पॉल (born 2004) |
Madhya Prant | 4 September 2019 |
4 October 2019 |
30 days |
|
Congress | Varuna Sriraya (President) | |
| Appointed as the Governor of Kamrup Pradesh on 4 September 2019, days after resigning from the union council of ministers to succeed Rajdeep Deka who was earlier transferred and appointed as the Governor of Purvanchal. Continued to serve in office until being transferred and subsequently appointed as the Governor of Uttaranchal on 4 October 2019. | ||||||||||
| 4 |
|
Sanghita Roy संघिता रॉय (born 2006) |
Madhya Guwahati | 4 October 2019 |
31 December 2019 |
88 days |
|
Congress | Varuna Sriraya (President) | |
| Member of Parliament at the time of appointment. Appointed as the Governor of Kamrup Pradesh on 4 October 2019 to succeed incumbent governor Sampriti Paul who was transferred and appointed as the Governor of Uttaranchal. Remained in office until 31 December 2019 when Kamrup Pradesh became a union territory with the passage of the Kamrup Pradesh State Reorganization Act on 25 December 2019. | ||||||||||
| Lieutenant Governors of Kamrupa (1 January – 10 February 2020) | ||||||||||
| 5 | File:Saikat-Seal.PNG | Saikat Seal सैकत सील (born 2006) |
Purvanchal | 1 January 2020 |
10 February 2020 |
40 days |
|
Congress | Varuna Sriraya (President) | |
| Minister without portfolio in the union cabinet at the time of appointment. Appointed to serve as the first lieutenant governor of Kamrup following the formation of the union territory of Kamrupa on 1 January 2020. As the lieutenant governor, he subsequently served as the Chairperson of the Development Authority of Kamrupa and a member of the civil services. Subsequently, also appointed Ishika Das as the first chief minister of Kamrupa. Remained in office until being transferred and appointed as the Governor-General of Madhya Prant on 2 February 2020 and being relieved of the additional duties as the lieutenant governor on 10 February 2020. | ||||||||||
| Governors of the Federal Territory of Kamrupa (10 February – 13 May 2020) & Administrator of Kamrupa (13 May – 8 June 2020) | ||||||||||
| 6 | File:Manoj Chetry.PNG | Manoj Chetry मनोज छेत्री (born 2005) |
Purvanchal | 10 February 2020 |
13 May 2020 |
93 days |
|
Congress | Varuna Sriraya (President) | |
| Appointed as the Governor of Kamrupa on 10 February 2020 to succeed Saikat Seal, who held the additional charge of the Administrator of Kamrupa. Subsequently, appointed as the Administrator of the union territories of Kamrupa and Basistha on 13 May 2020. Served as the last office-holder prior to the position's abolition on 8 June 2020 following the transition to the monarchy. | ||||||||||
| Position abolished on 8 June 2020 | ||||||||||
Second creation (2023–present)
The position of the Governor of Kamrupa was re-established by the Governorship Act, 2023 which received royal assent on 17 March 2023. Following the re-introduction of the position, the governor now serves the vice-regal representative of the Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra. The inaugural holder of the office following the re-introduction is Rajdeep Deka who has been in office since 17 March 2023.
| No. | Portrait | Name (born – died) |
Home state | Tenure in office | Prior positions held | Appointed by | Rajpramukh | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Time in office | ||||||||
| Governors of Kamrupa (17 March 2023 – present) | ||||||||||
| 1 | File:Photo of Rajdeep Deka.jpg | Tan Sri Dato Sri Rajdeep Deka राजदीप डेका (born 2002) |
Uttar Guwahati | 17 March 2023 |
14 July 2023 |
119 days |
|
Varuna Sriraya (Rashtradhyaksh) |
Anirban Phatowali | |
| Appointed to serve as the first Governor of Kamrupa after the position's re-establishment in 2023. Previously served as first governor of Kamrupa following the grant of statehood to Kamrupa in 2019. Remained in office until being transferred and subsequently appointed as the Governor of Beltola on 14 July 2023. | ||||||||||
| 2 | File:Portrait of Princess Bishakha (2022).jpg | Her Serene Highness Datin Sri Utama Princess Bishakha राजकन्या बिशाखा DUK DKI (Purvanchal) DKII (Beltola) SUMP SURK DUMM DURK SPDS TPUP RSP PRS CSP MP (born 2013) |
Purvanchal | 14 July 2023 |
Incumbent | 280 days |
|
Varuna Sriraya (Rashtradhyaksh) |
Anirban Phatowali | |
| Governor of Beltola at the time of appointment. Subsequently transferred and appointed as the Governor of Kamrupa to succeed incumbent governor Rajdeep Deka who was transferred as the Governor of Beltola. Also currently holding the additional charge of the Governor of Madhya Prant since 14 July 2023. | ||||||||||
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Timeline
Time in office
- Longest serving: Rajdeep Deka (current, 1 year, 114 days)
- Shortest serving: Sampriti Paul (30 days)
Below is the list of the governors and administrators of Kamrupa by total time in office:
- Rajdeep Deka – 1 year, 114 days
- Ankurjyoti Thakuria – 101 days
- Manoj Chetry – 93 days
- Sanghita Roy – 88 days
- Saikat Seal – 40 days
- Sampriti Paul – 30 days