# List of governors of Maharashtra

The governor of Maharashtra is the ceremonial head of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The Constitution of India confers the executive powers of the state to the governor; however, the de facto executive powers lie with the Council of Ministers.
C. P. Radhakrishnan is the current governor of Maharashtra since 31 July 2024.

## Powers and duties

The governor formally appoints many of the state officials, including the advocate general of Bombay, the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta, the state election commissioner, the chairman and members of the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal, the chairman and members of the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission, the chairman and members of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), the chairmen and members of the three development boards, the sheriff of Bombay, and the state chief information commissioner.

## Crown governors (1862–1948)

Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the company was accused of mismanagement, and Bombay reverted to the British Crown. On 2 August 1858, the British Parliament began abolition of the company and asserted full, direct Crown authority over India. The execution was slow. The company for purposes of liquidation maintained its formal existence until 1874. India was thereafter directly ruled by the Crown as a colony of the United Kingdom, and officially known as the Empire of India after 1876. India consisted of some regions referred to as British India that were directly administered by the British and other regions called the Princely States that were ruled by Indian rulers.
Laws were made for British India by a Legislative Council under the Viceroy having wide powers of legislation. This council could pass laws as important as any Acts by the British Parliament. The Legislative Council was made of six members besides the Viceroy. In addition, the governors served as extraordinary members when the Legislative Council met in their provinces. They also had an Executive Council of two members of the Indian Civil Service for 12 years standing, appointed by the Crown.
The Governor would consult the Executive Council in the exercise of all his functions (except on trivial or urgent matters or where the public interest made it undesirable). He would not be required to consult in cases where he was specifically authorised by the Constitution to act in his discretion or on the advice of, or after consultation with, some other person or authority. He would in general act in accordance with the advice of the Executive Council but could act against such advice, where he considered it necessary in the interests of the public order, public faith or good government; in such cases he would be required to seek approval of the Secretary of State for India.
The Governor didn't have the right to make or suspend any laws, unless in cases of urgent necessity, he could do it with the consent of the Governor-General of India. He didn't have the power of creating a new office, or granting any salary, gratuity, or allowance, without the sanction of the Governor-General of India. The Governor-General had full power to superintend and control the Governor in all points relating to the civil or military administration of the Presidency, and the Governor had to obey the orders and instructions of the Governor-General in all cases. The Governors could propose to the Governor-General drafts of any laws which they thought expedient, together with their reasons for the same; and the Governor-General communicated the resolutions to the Governor, after considering the reasons. The Governors regularly transmitted to the Governor-General true copies of all orders and acts of their governments, and also advice of all matters which they felt to be communicated to the Governor-General. The powers of the Governors were not suspended when the Governor-General visited the Presidency. The departure of the Governor from India with intent to return to Europe was deemed to be a resignation from his office. Alternately, the Governor could resign by declaring it in writing and delivering it to the secretary for the public department of the Presidency.
In 1906, Bombay Presidency had four commissionerships and twenty-six districts with Bombay City as its capital. The four commissionerships were the northern province of Gujarat, the central province of Deccan, the southern province of Carnatic, and the northwestern province of Sind. The 26 districts were Bombay City, Bombay Island, Ahmedabad, Bharuch, Kaira, Panch Mahal, Surat, Thana, Ahmednagar, East Khandesh, West Khandesh, Nasik, Poona, Satara, Solapur, Belgaum, Bijapur, Dharwar, North Canara, Kolaba, Ratnagiri, Karachi, Hyderabad, Shikarpur, Thar and Parkar and Upper Sind Frontier. Aden separated from Bombay Presidency in 1932, and Sind separated in 1936.
| No. | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Years in office | Remarks |
| 1 | Sir Bartle Frere | 24 April 1862 | 6 March 1867 | 5 | |
| 2 | Sir William Vesey-FitzGerald | 6 March 1867 | 6 May 1872 | 5 | |
| 3 | Sir Philip Wodehouse | 6 May 1872 | 30 April 1877 | 5 | |
| 4 | Sir Richard Temple, Bt. | 30 April 1877 | 13 March 1880 | 3 | |
| 5 | Lionel Robert Ashburner | 13 March 1880 | 28 April 1880 | | Acting |
| 6 | Sir James Fergusson, Bt. | 28 April 1880 | 27 March 1885 | 5 | |
| 7 | James Braithwaite Peile | 27 March 1885 | 30 March 1885 | | Acting |
| 8 | The Lord Reay | 30 March 1885 | 12 April 1890 | 5 | |
| 9 | The Lord Harris | 27 March 1890 | 16 February 1895 | 5 | |
| 10 | Herbert Mills Birdwood | 16 February 1895 | 18 February 1895 | | Acting |
| 11 | The Lord Sandhurst | 18 February 1895 | 17 February 1900 | 5 | |
| 12 | The Lord Northcote | 17 February 1900 | 5 September 1903 | 3 | |
| 13 | James Monteath | 5 September 1903 | 12 December 1903 | | Acting |
| 14 | The Lord Lamington | 12 December 1903 | 27 July 1907 | 4 | |
| 15 | John William Muir Mackenzie | 27 July 1907 | 18 October 1907 | | Acting |
| 16 | Sir George Sydenham Clarke | 18 October 1907 | 5 April 1913 | 6 | |
| 17 | The Lord Willingdon | 5 April 1913 | 16 December 1918 | 5 | |
| 18 | Sir George Lloyd | 16 December 1918 | 8 December 1923 | 5 | |
| 19 | Maurice Hayward | 8 December 1923 | 10 December 1923 | | Acting |
| 20 | Sir Leslie Orme Wilson | 10 December 1923 | 8 December 1928 | 5 | |
| 21 | Sir Henry Staveley Lawrence | 20 March 1926 | 19 July 1926 | | Acting |
| 22 | Sir Frederick Sykes | 9 December 1928 | 9 December 1933 | 5 | |
| 23 | John Ernest Buttery Hotson | 1931 | 1931 | | Acting |
| 24 | The Lord Brabourne | 9 December 1933 | 30 May 1937 | 4 | |
| 25 | Robert Duncan Bell | 30 May 1937 | 18 September 1937 | | Acting |
| 26 | The Earl of Scarbrough | 18 September 1937 | 24 March 1943 | 6 | |
| 27 | Sir John Colville | 24 March 1943 | 5 January 1948 | 5 | |
Sources: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and Governor of Maharashtra

## Governors of Maharashtra

This is a list of governors of Maharashtra:
* $^†$ Died in office
* $^§$ Resigned from office
* $^ẟ$ Removed from office
| No. | Name (born – died) | Portrait | Home state | Tenure in office | Tenure in office | Tenure in office | Immediate prior position held | Appointed by |
| No. | Name (born – died) | Portrait | Home state | From | To | Time in office | Immediate prior position held | Appointed by |
| Governor of Bombay State |||||||||
| 1 | Raja Sir Maharaj Singh CIE CStJ (1878–1959) | | Punjab | 6 January 1948 | 30 May 1952 | 4 years, 145 days | President, All India Conference of Indian Christians | Lord Louis Mountbatten (Governor-General) |
| 2 | Sir Girija Shankar Bajpai KCSI KBE CIE (1891–1954) | | Uttar Pradesh | 30 May 1952 | 5 December 1954 | 2 years, 189 days | Secretary-General, Ministry of External Affairs | Rajendra Prasad (President) |
| – | Justice M. C. Chagla Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (1900–1981) (Acting) | | Bombay | 5 December 1954 | 2 March 1955 | 87 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued in office) | Rajendra Prasad (President) |
| 3 | Harekrushna Mahatab (1899–1987) | | Orissa | 2 March 1955 | 14 October 1956 | 1 year, 226 days | Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | Rajendra Prasad (President) |
| – | Justice M. C. Chagla Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (1900–1981) (Acting) | | Bombay | 14 October 1956 | 10 December 1956 | 57 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued) | Rajendra Prasad (President) |
| 4 | Sri Prakasa (1890–1971) | | Uttar Pradesh | 10 December 1956 | 30 April 1960 | 3 years, 142 days | Governor of Madras State | Rajendra Prasad (President) |
| Rajendra Prasad (President) |||||||||
| (4) | Sri Prakasa (1890–1971) | | Uttar Pradesh | 1 May 1960 | 16 April 1962 | 1 year, 350 days | Governor of Bombay State | Rajendra Prasad (President) |
| 5 | P. Subbarayan (1889–1962) | | Madras | 17 April 1962 | 6 October 1962 | 172 days | Union Cabinet Minister for Transport and Communications | Rajendra Prasad (President) |
| – | Justice H. K. Chainani Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (1904–1965) (Acting) | | Maharashtra | 6 October 1962 | 28 November 1962 | 53 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued) | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (President) |
| 6 | Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1900–1990) | | Uttar Pradesh | 28 November 1962 | 18 October 1964 | 1 year, 325 days | High Commissioner to the United Kingdom; Ambassador to Ireland and Spain | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (President) |
| – | Justice H. K. Chainani Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (1904–1965) (Acting) | | Maharashtra | 18 October 1964 | 14 November 1964 | 27 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued) | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (President) |
| 7 | P. V. Cherian (1893–1969) | | Madras | 14 November 1964 | 8 November 1969 | 4 years, 359 days | Chairman of Madras Legislative Council | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (President) |
| – | Justice S. P. Kotval Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (1910–1987) (Acting) | | Maharashtra | 8 November 1969 | 26 February 1970 | 110 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued) | V. V. Giri (President) |
| 8 | Ali Yavar Jung (1906–1976) | | Telangana | 26 February 1970 | 11 December 1976 | 6 years, 289 days | Ambassador to the United States | V. V. Giri (President) |
| – | Justice R. M. Kantawala Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (1916–1992) (Acting) | | Maharashtra | 11 December 1976 | 30 April 1977 | 140 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued) | Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (President) |
| 9 | Sadiq Ali (1910–2001) | | Rajasthan | 30 April 1977 | 8 November 1980 | 3 years, 192 days | President, Indian National Congress (Organisation) (until 1973) | B. D. Jatti (Acting President) |
| 10 | Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) Om Prakash Mehra PVSM (1919–2015) | | Punjab | 8 November 1980 | 5 March 1982 | 1 year, 117 days | Chief of the Air Staff (until 1976) | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (President) |
| 11 | Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) Idris Hasan Latif PVSM (1923–2018) | | Telangana | 6 March 1982 | 16 April 1985 | 3 years, 41 days | Chief of the Air Staff (until 1981) | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (President) |
| – | Justice Konda Madhava Reddy Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (1923–1997) (Acting) | | Telangana | 16 April 1985 | 30 May 1985 | 44 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued) | Zail Singh (President) |
| 12 | Kona Prabhakara Rao (1916–1990) | | Andhra Pradesh | 31 May 1985 | 2 April 1986 | 306 days | Governor of Sikkim | Zail Singh (President) |
| 13 | Shankar Dayal Sharma (1918–1999) | | Madhya Pradesh | 3 April 1986 | 2 September 1987 | 1 year, 152 days | Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh | Zail Singh (President) |
| – | Justice S. K. Desai Acting Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (1928–2011) (Acting) | | Maharashtra | 3 September 1987 | 2 November 1987 | 60 days | Judge of Bombay High Court (continued) | R. Venkataraman (President) |
| – | Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (born 1929) (Acting) | | West Bengal | 2 November 1987 | 20 February 1988 | 110 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued) | R. Venkataraman (President) |
| 14 | Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (1909–1994) | | Andhra Pradesh | 20 February 1988 | 18 January 1990 | 1 year, 332 days | Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha (until 1984) | R. Venkataraman (President) |
| – | Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (born 1929) (Acting) | | West Bengal | 18 January 1990 | 14 February 1990 | 27 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued) | R. Venkataraman (President) |
| 15 | Chidambaram Subramaniam (1910–2000) | | Tamil Nadu | 15 February 1990 | 9 January 1993 | 2 years, 329 days | Union Cabinet Minister of Defence (until 1980) | R. Venkataraman (President) |
| 16 | P. C. Alexander IAS (Retd.) (1921–2011) | | Kerala | 12 January 1993 | 13 July 2002 | 9 years, 182 days | Governor of Tamil Nadu (until 1990) | Shankar Dayal Sharma (President) |
| – | Justice C. K. Thakker Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (born 1943) (Acting) | | Gujarat | 13 July 2002 | 10 October 2002 | 89 days | Chief Justice of Bombay High Court (continued) | K. R. Narayanan (President) |
| 17 | Mohammed Fazal (1922–2014) | | Uttar Pradesh | 10 October 2002 | 5 December 2004 | 2 years, 56 days | Governor of Goa | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (President) |
| 18 | S. M. Krishna (1932–2024) | | Karnataka | 12 December 2004 | 5 March 2008 | 3 years, 84 days | Chief Minister of Karnataka (until May 2004) | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (President) |
| – | S. C. Jamir (born 1931) (Additional charge until 8 July 2008) | | Nagaland | 9 March 2008 | 8 July 2008 | 1 year, 319 days | Governor of Goa | Pratibha Patil (President) |
| 19 | S. C. Jamir (born 1931) | | Nagaland | 8 July 2008 | 22 January 2010 | 1 year, 319 days | Governor of Goa | Pratibha Patil (President) |
| 20 | K. Sankaranarayanan (1932–2022) | | Kerala | 22 January 2010 | 7 May 2012 | 4 years, 214 days | Governor of Jharkhand | Pratibha Patil (President) |
| 20 | K. Sankaranarayanan (1932–2022) | | Kerala | 7 May 2012 | 24 August 2014 | 4 years, 214 days | Governor of Jharkhand | Pratibha Patil (President) |
| – | Om Prakash Kohli Governor of Gujarat (1935–2023) (Additional Charge) | | Delhi | 24 August 2014 | 30 August 2014 | 6 days | Governor of Gujarat (continued) | Pranab Mukherjee (President) |
| 21 | C. Vidyasagar Rao (born 1941) | | Telangana | 30 August 2014 | 4 September 2019 | 5 years, 5 days | Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry (until 2004) | Pranab Mukherjee (President) |
| 22 | Bhagat Singh Koshyari (born 1942) | | Uttarakhand | 5 September 2019 | 17 February 2023 | 3 years, 165 days | Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha (until May 2019) | Ram Nath Kovind (President) |
| 23 | Ramesh Bais (born 1947) | | Chhattisgarh | 18 February 2023 | 30 July 2024 | 1 year, 159 days | Governor of Jharkhand | Droupadi Murmu (President) |
| 24 | C. P. Radhakrishnan (born 1957) | | Tamil Nadu | 31 July 2024 | Incumbent | 231 days | Governor of Jharkhand Governor of Telangana (additional charge) Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry (additional charge) | Droupadi Murmu (President) |