President Murmu appoints new Governors for six states, naming Arlekar to Tamil Nadu
Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar takes regular charge of Tamil Nadu, Om Prakash Mathur moves to Keralam, and four other states receive fresh gubernatorial appointments.
President Droupadi Murmu appointed new Governors across six states on Monday, confirming Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as the regular Governor of Tamil Nadu and moving Om Prakash Mathur to head the Raj Bhavan in Keralam.
The administrative reshuffle, issued through an official communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan on 12 October, reinforces constitutional leadership across both southern and northern states. The orders will take formal effect once the respective appointees take oath and assume their charges.
Key changes in Tamil Nadu and Keralam
Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who had been serving as Governor of Keralam, now receives full-time responsibility for Tamil Nadu. Arlekar had already been holding additional charge of the state since March, when R N Ravi was transferred to West Bengal. A seasoned administrator and former Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, Arlekar brings substantial constitutional experience to Chennai, having earlier served as Governor of both Himachal Pradesh and Bihar.
To fill the vacancy in Thiruvananthapuram, the President assigned Om Prakash Mathur as the new Governor of Keralam. Mathur, a former Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan, moves south after serving as Governor of Sikkim since July 2024.
Fresh appointments in Karnataka, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Sikkim
The presidential orders also bring experienced public figures into Raj Bhavans across four other states, consolidating administrative continuity.
In Karnataka, former Lok Sabha member Sudha Yadav has been appointed Governor, taking over from Thaawarchand Gehlot. Yadav, who previously represented Mahendragarh in Parliament and served on the National Commission for Backward Classes, becomes only the second woman to serve as Governor of Karnataka, following V S Ramadevi's tenure from 1999 to 2002.
In Odisha, former Palamu parliamentarian Braj Mohan Ram takes office as Governor, replacing Hari Babu Kambhampati, who had been sworn in during January 2025.
In Uttarakhand, former Balaghat Lok Sabha member Dhal Singh Bisen has been named Governor, succeeding Lieutenant General (retired) Gurmit Singh.
In Sikkim, former Rajya Sabha parliamentarian Dushyant Gautam takes over the gubernatorial post left vacant by Mathur's transfer to Keralam.
The official communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan did not specify fresh postings for the outgoing governors of Karnataka, Odisha, and Uttarakhand.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Number of states receiving new governors | 6 | Rashtrapati Bhavan communique |
| Date of appointments | 12 October 2026 | Rashtrapati Bhavan communique |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar | Appointed full-time Governor of Tamil Nadu. |
| Om Prakash Mathur | Transferred from Sikkim to become Governor of Keralam. |
