Acharya Devvrat given additional charge as Maharashtra Governor after C.P. Radhakrishnan resigns. Learn key facts, historical context, and exam relevance for UPSC, PSC, and state exams.
Acharya Devvrat Gets Additional Charge as Governor of Maharashtra
What Happened
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat has been given the additional charge of Governor of Maharashtra. This came in the wake of C.P. Radhakrishnan resigning from the Maharashtra Governor’s post after being elected as India’s Vice-President. The President of India issued a notification stating that, until a full-time replacement for Maharashtra is appointed, Governor Devvrat will discharge the duties of that office in addition to his existing duties in Gujarat.
Reason for the Change
C.P. Radhakrishnan demitted the office of Governor of Maharashtra after his election as Vice-President of India. This change is automatically triggered when a sitting governor vacates the post by election to another constitutional office. The President then exercises authority under constitutional provisions to ensure that the state continues to have a functioning governor. Acharya Devvrat, already in office as the Governor of Gujarat, has been tapped to cover Maharashtra until a permanent appointment is made.
Who Is Acharya Devvrat
Acharya Devvrat is a veteran educator and politician. He became the Governor of Gujarat in July 2019. Before that, he served as Governor of Himachal Pradesh from August 2015 until mid-2019. He is well-known for his advocacy of natural farming, cow breed improvement, social welfare campaigns, promotion of Vedantic and Vedic human values, and university administration in Gujarat. His age is about 66 years.
Implications for Maharashtra and Governance
With Acharya Devvrat holding additional charge, Maharashtra will continue to have a governor without interruption. Though governors are mostly ceremonial in daily governance, they have important constitutional duties — like assenting to bills, appointing the Chief Minister or acting in case of constitutional breakdown. This temporary arrangement ensures no constitutional vacuum in state leadership. It also draws attention to how the system handles transitions when constitutional officeholders are elected to new posts.
Why This News is Important
Constitutional Continuity
One of the foundational features of Indian governance is that no state should be without a constitutional head. The appointment of Acharya Devvrat to discharge the duties of the Governor of Maharashtra ensures there is no gap. For students preparing for exams, this underscores how constitutional mechanisms work in practice — e.g. the role of the President and the importance of “additional charge” when a sitting governor vacates the post.
Role of the Governor
Though often considered ceremonial, the Governor’s role is crucial in times of political uncertainty: bill approvals, constitutional oversight, inviting parties to form governments etc. This event shows the process by which the Governor’s office transitions during elections or appointments to higher constitutional positions. Understanding these nuances is especially relevant for civil service, law, and state administration-related questions.
Electoral Process and Vice-President’s Position
This change happened because C.P. Radhakrishnan was elected Vice-President of India. The Vice-President holds one of the top constitutional offices, and their election can trigger shifts in other constitutional posts. Hence this item links up with recent elections (VP elections), which are often asked in current affairs.
Educational / Political Profile of Devvrat
Acharya Devvrat is not just a nominal figure; his background in education, natural farming, university administration etc. adds to the significance. In exam questions, often aspects like previous posts of Governors, their initiatives are asked. Knowing his prior roles helps in reinforcing governance, ethics, environment, education & politics topics.
Exam Relevance
This kind of appointment is likely to be asked in various exams (State PSC, UPSC, etc.) under topics like “Constitution — Governors”, “Role of Governor under Indian Constitution”, “Recent constitutional developments”, and “Recent Vice-president / Governor changes.” Hence, this news helps strengthen both conceptual understanding and factual recall.
Historical Context
The Office of Governor in India
Under the Constitution of India, a Governor is appointed by the President for each state. The Governor is the ceremonial head of the state, though endowed with powers such as giving assent to bills, summoning and proroguing the state legislature, and acting as an interface between State and Centre especially in times of emergency.
Practice of “Additional Charge”
When a Governor vacates office (resignation, elevation, or being elected to another constitutional post), the President may assign another sitting Governor of a different state to take over the responsibilities (on “additional charge”) until a new governor is appointed. This has happened several times in Indian history.
C.P. Radhakrishnan’s Tenure & Vice-Presidential Election
C.P. Radhakrishnan became Governor of Maharashtra on 31 July 2024. Following the Vice-President election of 2025, he contested and won — defeating his opponent B. Sudershan Reddy. Upon winning, he vacated the Governor post. History shows such transitions often happen after Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, or other constitutional elections when incumbents are chosen for new roles.
Acharya Devvrat’s Previous Work & Political Role
Devvrat has served as Governor of Himachal Pradesh (2015-2019), and from 2019 is Governor of Gujarat. His profile is shaped by education, natural farming, promotion of traditional values and outreach programs. His role as Governor in two states now (even if temporarily in Maharashtra) adds to the long tradition of governors being appointed to multiple responsibilities.
Key Takeaways from This News
| # | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| 1 | Acharya Devvrat has been entrusted with the responsibilities of Governor of Maharashtra, in addition to his current role as Governor of Gujarat. |
| 2 | This appointment follows C.P. Radhakrishnan demitting the office of Maharashtra Governor upon being elected Vice-President of India. |
| 3 | The decision has been formalized by the President of India’s Secretariat, as per constitutional norms to avoid any vacancy in the Governor’s office. |
| 4 | Acharya Devvrat has a strong administrative and educational background, with past governance roles (Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat), and advocacy for natural farming & social welfare initiatives. |
| 5 | Understanding this event helps with exam topics such as constitutional posts, functions of governors, recent Vice-President election, details about incumbents — all likely to appear in UPSC, State PSC, Railways, Banking etc. |
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who has been given additional charge as Maharashtra Governor?
Acharya Devvrat, the Governor of Gujarat, has been given additional charge of Maharashtra.
2. Why was Acharya Devvrat given additional charge of Maharashtra?
He was given additional charge following the resignation of C.P. Radhakrishnan, who vacated the post after being elected Vice-President of India.
3. When did Acharya Devvrat become the Governor of Gujarat?
He assumed office as Governor of Gujarat in July 2019.
4. What are the main responsibilities of a Governor in India?
A Governor’s responsibilities include giving assent to state bills, appointing the Chief Minister, acting as a constitutional link between the State and Centre, and handling emergencies.
5. Has Acharya Devvrat served as Governor in other states before Gujarat?
Yes, he served as Governor of Himachal Pradesh from August 2015 to 2019.
6. What is the significance of assigning “additional charge” of a state governor?
It ensures that the constitutional office of the Governor is never vacant, maintaining governance continuity until a permanent appointment is made.
7. Which constitutional authority assigns the additional charge of a Governor?
The President of India assigns additional charge under constitutional provisions.
8. What are the notable contributions of Acharya Devvrat?
He is known for promoting natural farming, cow welfare, educational administration, and social welfare campaigns.
9. Can a Governor hold charge of more than one state?
Yes, temporarily a Governor can hold additional charge of another state until a new appointment is made.
10. Why is this news relevant for competitive exams?
It is important for questions related to the Indian Constitution, governance, current affairs, recent appointments, and constitutional offices like Governor and Vice-President.
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