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What is Article 157 of indian constitution

 

📜 Article 157 of the Indian Constitution

Title: Qualifications for appointment as Governor


🔹 Text of Article 157:

"No person shall be eligible for appointment as Governor unless he—
(a) is a citizen of India, and
(b) has completed the age of thirty-five years."


📌 Key Points:

Requirement Details
Citizenship Must be a citizen of India.
Minimum Age Must have completed 35 years of age.
Other Qualifications No educational or professional qualifications required.

Disqualifications or Restrictions:

  • Article 157 does not mention any disqualifications, but under Article 158, the Governor:

    • Cannot be a member of Parliament or State Legislature.

    • Must not hold any office of profit.


🧠 Why Article 157 is Important:

  • Sets the minimum eligibility for one of the highest constitutional positions in a state.

  • Ensures only mature Indian citizens can be appointed.

  • Reflects a simple and inclusive eligibility criterion, unlike some other constitutional posts.


Here is a comparison chart of qualifications for the Governor and the President of India, based on the Constitution:


📊 Governor vs President: Qualifications Comparison

Criteria Governor (Article 157) President (Article 58)
Citizenship Must be a citizen of India Must be a citizen of India
Minimum Age 35 years 35 years
Parliamentary Qualification Not required Must be qualified to be a member of the Lok Sabha
Office of Profit Cannot hold any office of profit (Art. 158) Cannot hold any office of profit under government
Membership of Legislature Must not be a member of Parliament or State Legislature (Art. 158) Can’t be an MP/MLA at the time of election
Educational Qualification ❌ Not required ❌ Not required
Nomination Appointed by the President Elected by an Electoral College
Other Conditions Must not belong to the state (convention, not law) No specific condition on state or region

🧠 Key Differences:

  • The President must be qualified to be an MP (Lok Sabha), while the Governor has no such condition.

  • The President is elected, while the Governor is appointed.

  • Governor’s role is limited to a state, President’s role is national.