MPPSC 2018 Prelims Paper-I · Question 39 of 100

Correct — C, Justice G. D. Dixit. Of the four names, the commission's key identifies Justice G. D. Dixit as the one who has not served as acting Governor of Madhya Pradesh; the other three are recorded as having officiated in the office. When the Governor's post falls vacant, the President customarily asks the Chief Justice of the state High Court to discharge the Governor's functions — the route by which several senior judges came to act as Governor.

• (a)Justice N. D. Ojha — The commission's key treats him as one who did officiate as acting Governor of Madhya Pradesh, so he is not the exception the question asks for.
• (b)Justice P. V. Dixit — Recorded as having served as acting Governor of Madhya Pradesh; hence not the odd one out (note the shared 'Dixit' surname trap).
• (d)Justice G. P. Singh — Recorded as having served as acting Governor of Madhya Pradesh; hence not the exception.

A Governor is appointed by the President (Article 155) and holds office during the President's pleasure (Article 156). When the office falls vacant or the Governor cannot act, arrangements are made for someone to discharge the functions temporarily — conventionally the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court is asked to act as Governor until a regular appointment is made. Such stand-ins are called acting (officiating) Governors.

This is a 'find the exception' question on Madhya Pradesh's acting Governors. Three of the four names are on the record as having officiated in the post; the one who was not is the answer. Watch the shared surname (P. V. Dixit vs G. D. Dixit) — the initials distinguish them.

• The Governor is appointed by the President (Article 155) and holds office during the President's pleasure (Article 156).
• When the office is vacant, the Chief Justice of the state High Court is conventionally asked to act as Governor.
• Madhya Pradesh has had several acting Governors drawn from the judiciary.
• Per the commission's key, Justice G. D. Dixit is the name that was not an acting Governor of MP.

• Confusing the two 'Dixit' names (P. V. Dixit vs G. D. Dixit)
• Assuming every senior judge listed must have been an acting Governor

MPPSC asks state-specific 'who was/was not' the Governor or acting Governor; UPSC asks the constitutional provisions on the Governor's appointment and term. Anchor: acting Governor = Chief Justice of the High Court steps in.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Governor of a State is appointed by:

  • (a)the Chief Minister
  • (b)the President of India
  • (c)the Chief Justice of India
  • (d)the State Legislature

  Answer(b) the President of India (Article 155).

• practice — not a real PYQ

  When the office of Governor falls vacant, the functions are usually discharged by:

  • (a)the Chief Minister
  • (b)the Speaker of the Assembly
  • (c)the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court
  • (d)the senior-most minister

  Answer(c) the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court, as acting Governor.