Om Prakash Mathur Takes Oath as 29th Governor of Kerala

Om Prakash Mathur took the oath of office as the 29th Governor of Kerala during a formal swearing-in ceremony on October 23, 2026. The event took place at Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital.

Soumen Sen, Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, administered the oath of office. President Droupadi Murmu appointed Mathur to the constitutional post via an executive warrant.

Mathur succeeds Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who moves to assume office as the Governor of Tamil Nadu. Prior to his transfer to Kerala, Mathur served as the Governor of Sikkim.

Essential Constitutional Articles to Remember:

1. Article 153 (Office of the Governor): Provides that there shall be a Governor for each state. The 7th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1956 allows the same person to serve as Governor for two or more states simultaneously.
2. Article 154 (Executive Power of State): Vests the executive power of the state in the Governor. The Governor exercises this power directly or through subordinate officers in accordance with the Constitution.
3. Article 155 (Appointment of Governor): Mandates that the President appoints the Governor by warrant under hand and seal. The Governor is a constitutional nominee of the Central Government, not an elected official.
4. Article 156 (Tenure of Office): Specifies that the Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President. The normal tenure spans five years from the date of assuming office.
5. Article 159 (Oath or Affirmation): Prescribes the oath taken before entering office. The Chief Justice of the high court exercising jurisdiction over the state (or the senior-most judge available) administers the oath.   

Profile and Career of Om Prakash Mathur

Om Prakash Mathur hails from Bedal village in Pali district, Rajasthan. He completed his graduation at Rajasthan University before dedicating his career to public service.

He initially served as a pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) before taking up senior leadership responsibilities within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). During his political career, he served as the party's national general secretary in charge of Gujarat.

Mathur also represented Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha, India's Upper House of Parliament. His parliamentary tenure provided him with extensive experience in legislative procedures and national governance prior to his gubernatorial appointments in Sikkim and Kerala.

Swearing-In Ceremony Highlights and Dignitaries

Chief Justice Soumen Sen presided over the official swearing-in proceedings. Senior state cabinet members and dignitaries attended the event, including Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan and Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.

A delegation from Sikkim, led by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) and Speaker Mingma Norbu Sherpa, attended the ceremony to honor Mathur's transition from his previous assignment in Gangtok. Prior to the event, Mathur offered prayers at the historic Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

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