“The Governor is the constitutional head of the state — a bridge between the Union and the state, not a political appointee.” — Constitutional principle under Article 153
On 3 January 2025, Dr. Kambhampati Hari Babu was sworn in as the 27th Governor of Odisha at Raj Bhavan, Bhubaneswar. A former BJP Member of Parliament from Visakhapatnam and ex-Governor of Mizoram, he succeeded Raghubar Das, who resigned from the post. His appointment was part of a sweeping five-state gubernatorial reshuffle ordered by President Droupadi Murmu on 24 December 2024.
📜 The Swearing-In Ceremony
The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh of the Orissa High Court at the New Abhishek Hall of Raj Bhavan, Bhubaneswar — as mandated by Article 159 of the Constitution of India.
The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik, state ministers, the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, and the Twin City Police Commissioner, among other dignitaries. Following the oath, Kambhampati inspected a guard of honour at Raj Bhavan — a customary military courtesy extended to the constitutional head of a state.
Before assuming office, Kambhampati visited the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites — a gesture widely noted as an acknowledgment of Odisha’s deep cultural and religious heritage.
Think of the Governor as the President’s representative in each state. Just as the President swears in the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of the High Court swears in the Governor. It is a constitutional handshake that formally transfers the role of the state’s constitutional head.
👤 Who Is Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati?
Born on 15 June 1953 in Thimmasamudram village, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati holds a B.E. and M.E. in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, and a Ph.D. in Control Systems from the same institution. He served as an Associate Professor at Andhra University’s Engineering College for 24 years before voluntarily retiring in 1993 to enter politics full-time.
His political activism began during student years. He participated in the Jai Andhra Movement of 1972 and was detained under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) during the Emergency (1975–77), spending six months in Visakhapatnam Central Jail and Mushirabad Jail.
He joined the Janata Party in 1977, later becoming General Secretary of the BJP in Andhra Pradesh (1993–2003). He was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1999 and to the 16th Lok Sabha from Visakhapatnam in 2014. He served as first President of the BJP’s bifurcated Andhra Pradesh unit (2014–2018). He was appointed Governor of Mizoram on 19 July 2021 — the first Telugu individual and first person from bifurcated Andhra Pradesh to hold that post.
✨ The Gubernatorial Reshuffle of December 2024
Kambhampati’s appointment to Odisha was part of a simultaneous five-state gubernatorial reshuffle announced by Rashtrapati Bhavan on 24 December 2024. The changes were necessitated primarily by the resignation of Raghubar Das, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand (2014–2019), from the Odisha governorship.
| Appointee | New Post | Previous Post |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati | Governor of Odisha | Governor of Mizoram |
| Gen. (Dr) Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.) | Governor of Mizoram | — |
| Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar | Governor of Kerala | Governor of Bihar |
| Arif Mohammed Khan | Governor of Bihar | Governor of Kerala |
| Ajay Kumar Bhalla | Governor of Manipur | Union Home Secretary |
Key Swap: Arif Mohammed Khan and Rajendra Arlekar swapped posts — Khan moved from Kerala to Bihar, Arlekar from Bihar to Kerala. This is frequently asked in MCQs alongside Kambhampati’s Odisha appointment.
🌍 Odisha’s Political Context at the Time
Kambhampati assumed office during a politically significant period for Odisha. The BJP won the 2024 Odisha Assembly elections, securing 78 of 147 seats and ending the 24-year rule of Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Patnaik submitted his resignation on 5 June 2024, and Mohan Charan Majhi became Odisha’s first BJP Chief Minister.
Kambhampati thus began his tenure working alongside a Chief Minister from his own party. Constitutionally, under Articles 163 and 164, the Governor acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers — making the political alignment between Raj Bhavan and the state government constitutionally relevant to observe.
When the Governor and the Chief Minister belong to the same party, how does this affect the exercise of gubernatorial discretion? The Constitution expects the Governor to be an impartial constitutional head — but political alignment inevitably shapes the tone, if not the substance, of Centre-state relations.
⚖️ Constitutional Framework: Office of Governor
The Governor is the constitutional head of a state under Article 153 of the Constitution of India. Key articles governing the post:
- Article 153: There shall be a Governor for each state
- Article 155: Governor is appointed by the President of India
- Article 156: Holds office at the pleasure of the President; normal term is 5 years
- Article 157: Eligibility — must be citizen of India and at least 35 years of age
- Article 158: Must not be a member of Parliament or any state legislature
- Article 159: Oath administered by Chief Justice of concerned High Court
- Article 161: Power to grant pardons for offences against state laws
- Article 163: Acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers
Don’t confuse: The Governor’s salary (₹3,50,000/month) is charged to the Consolidated Fund of the State — NOT the Consolidated Fund of India. The President’s salary is charged to the Consolidated Fund of India. This distinction is a frequent MCQ trap.
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Dr. Kambhampati Hari Babu was sworn in as the 27th Governor of Odisha on 3 January 2025, succeeding Raghubar Das who resigned.
Under Article 159 of the Constitution, the oath of office of the Governor is administered by the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court.
The Governor salary is charged to the Consolidated Fund of the State, not the Consolidated Fund of India. The President salary is charged to the Consolidated Fund of India.
Odisha was carved out as a separate province on 1 April 1936 on a linguistic basis, making it the first state in India to be formed on that principle.
Kambhampati was appointed Governor of Mizoram on 19 July 2021, making him the first Telugu person and first person from bifurcated Andhra Pradesh to hold that post.
