Reorganisation and Executive Power of Uttar Pradesh | Course for UPPSC Preparation - UPPSC (UP) PDF Download

Uttar Pradesh was formed on 24th January, 1950. The administrative structure of the state includes Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. The Executive of Uttar Pradesh is the organ that exercises authority in and holds responsibility for the governance of the state. The Legislature of Uttar Pradesh is a deliberative assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity in the state. 

Formation and Reorganisation of Uttar Pradesh

• Uttar Pradesh was gradually acquired by the ‘East India Company’ over a period of about 75 years, the last quarter of the 18th century to the mid-19th Century. 
• In 1833 an Act of Parliament was passed to constitute a new Presidency (Province) with its capital Agra. 
• In 1836, the North-Western Province was established by merging all constituted regions that was ruled by East India Company with Agra being its headquarters. The North-Western Provinces included Delhi and Gurgaon territories which were transferred to Punjab after the revolt of 1857. 
• In 1858, the Oudh was annexed and merged with North-Western Provinces and it was renamed North-Western Provinces and Oudh. Allahabad served as its capital. Later it was reorganised as the United Province of Agra and Oudh which existed from 1902 to 1947. 
• In 1920, the capital of Provinces was shifted from Allahabad to Lucknow. On 1st April, 1937, it was renamed as United Provinces. 
• After Indian independence on 15th August, 1947, the United Provinces were renamed as Uttar Pradesh. 
• On 24th January, 1950 Uttar Pradesh its got statehood. On 1st November, 1956, the state was reorganised.
• A new state Uttarakhand, with 13 districts was carved out from Uttar Pradesh on 9th November, 2000. At present, it has 18 divisions and 75 districts.

Executive of Uttar Pradesh

The Executive executes law and watches the enforcement process of the law. It consists of the Governor, the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers.
Governor 
Articles 153 to 162 of the Constitution deal with the power and functions of the Governor. The Governor is the Chief Executive Head of the State and he is also a Nominal Executive Head. The Governor also acts as an agent of the Central Government. Therefore, the office of Governor has a dual role.
The Governor is appointed by the President and holds his office at the pleasure of the President. Article 155 deals with the appointment of Governor in the state. Governor holds office for a term of five years but he can resign at any time by addressing a resignation letter to the President. He may also be removed by the President at any time. The first Governor of Uttar Pradesh was Smt. Sarojini Naidu. She was the first Female Governor in any Indian state. 

Powers of the Governor 

• All executive actions of the government of a state are formally taken by the Governor.
• He appoints the Chief Minister, the Advocate General of the state, the State Election Commissioner and the Chairman and members of the State Public Service Commission. But the members of State Public Service Commission can only be removed by the President on the report of Supreme Court.
• He acts as the Chancellor of Universities in the state. He also appoints the Vice-Chancellors of universities in the state. 
• He can summon or prorogue the State Legislature and dissolve the State Legislative Assembly. 
• He can appoint any member of the State Legislative Assembly to preside over its proceedings when the offices of both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker fall vacant. 
• Similarly, he can do with the Legislative Council. He nominates one-sixth of the members of the State Legislative Council and one member to the State Legislative Assembly from the Anglo-Indian Community.  

List of Governors of Uttar Pradesh 

Chief Minister 

• The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is the Chief Executive of the Government of Uttar Pradesh and head of the State Council Ministers. 
• He is elected for maximum of five years. There is no limit to the number of term that the Chief Minister can serve.
• According to Article 164, the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor. However, this does not imply that the Governor is free to appoint anyone as the Chief Minister. Usually, the Governor appoints the leader of the largest party or coalition in the assembly as the Chief Minister and asks him to seek a vote of confidence in the House within a month. 
• The term of the Chief Minister is not fixed and he holds office during the pleasure of the Governor. However, this does not mean that the Governor can dismiss him at any time. But, if he loses the confidence of the assembly, he must resign or the Governor can dismiss him.
• Before Independence, the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh was Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari on 3rd April, 1937. The first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh after Independence was Govind Ballabh Pant who was appointed on 26th January, 1950. Smt. Sucheta Kriplani was the first female Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. 
• President’s rule has been implemented 10 times in the state. First President’s rule was implemented in February, 1968 in Uttar Pradesh.

List of Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh 
 

• Council of Ministers
  The Council of Ministers is appointed by the Governor on the advice of Chief Minister. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly, but individually responsible to the Governor. There are three types of Council of Ministers, viz Cabinet Ministers, Minister of State holding independent charge of departments and Deputy Ministers, who have to assist the ministers in their departmental affairs.
• Secretariat
  The secretariat is the highest office of the state. For convenience and quick disposal of work, it is divided into different sections which have one or more departments. Every department is divided into one or more sections.
  The Chief Secretary controls all work in the entire Secretariat. He is the senior Officer of IAS in the State Cadre. He is the Head of the Secretariat establishment. Different departments of the Secretariat functions under the complete charge of the Principal Secretary. The Secretariat of Uttar Pradesh is located in Lucknow.