The Governor can dismiss the Chief Minister or Ministers whenever he personally wishes.

Courts have clarified that the Governor's 'pleasure' is exercised on the advice of the Council of Ministers and is checked by the requirement of confidence in the Legislative Assembly, not personal discretion.

A Chief Minister can appoint an unlimited number of Ministers.

Since the 91st Amendment (2003), clause (1A) caps the Council of Ministers at 15% of the Assembly's total membership, with a minimum of 12.

Anyone can be made a Minister regardless of their legislative status.

Clause (4) requires a Minister to become a member of the state legislature within six months, and clause (1B) bars disqualified defectors from being appointed during their disqualification period.

The Constitution of India

Article 164

Other provisions as to Ministers

(1) The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister, and the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor:§

Provided that in the States of 1 [Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand], Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, there shall be a Minister in charge of tribal welfare who may in addition be in charge of the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and backward classes or any other work.§

(1A) The total number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, in the Council of Ministers in a State shall not exceed fifteen per cent. of the total number of members of the Legislative Assembly of that State: Provided that the number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister in a State shall not be less than twelve:§

Provided further that where the total number of Ministers including the Chief Minister in the Council of Ministers in any State at the commencement of the Constitution (Ninety-first Amendment) Act, 2003 exceeds the said fifteen per cent. or the number specified in the first proviso, as the case may be, then the total number of Ministers in that State shall be brought in conformity with the provisions of this clause within six months from such date as the President may by public notification appoint.§

(1B) A member of the Legislative Assembly of a State or either House of the Legislature of a State having Legislative Council belonging to any political party who is disqualified for being a member of that House under paragraph 2 of the Tenth Schedule shall also be disqualified to be appointed as a Minister under clause (1) for duration of the period commencing from the date of his disqualification till the date on which the term of his office as such member would expire or where he contests any election to the Legislative Assembly of a State or either House of the Legislature of a State having Legislative Council, as the case may be, before the expiry of such period, till the date on which he is declared elected, whichever is earlier.§

(2) The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly of the State.§

(3) Before a Minister enters upon his office, the Governor shall administer to him the oaths of office and of secrecy according to the forms set out for the purpose in the Third Schedule.§

(4) A Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the Legislature of the State shall at the expiration of that period cease to be a Minister.§

(5) The salaries and allowances of Ministers shall be such as the Legislature of the State may from time to time by law determine and, until the Legislature of the State so determines, shall be as specified in the Second Schedule.§

Why this exists

This Article sets up the core machinery of parliamentary government at the state level, mirroring Article 75 for the Union. It ensures the executive (Council of Ministers) is drawn from and answerable to the elected legislature, while giving the Governor a formal appointing role. The 91st Amendment (2003) added caps on Council size and barred defectors from ministerial posts, responding to concerns about bloated cabinets and rampant political defections destabilizing state governments.

How courts read it

Courts have held that the Governor's 'pleasure' under clause (1) is not unfettered personal discretion but must be exercised on the advice of the Council of Ministers, except in narrow situations like appointing a Chief Minister after elections or testing majority on the floor of the House. The Supreme Court has emphasized that collective responsibility under clause (2) means confidence must ultimately be tested in the Assembly, not decided unilaterally by the Governor (as reaffirmed in cases dealing with floor tests, such as during political crises in various states). The bar on disqualified defectors becoming Ministers under clause (1B) has been read alongside the Tenth Schedule's anti-defection framework to prevent defectors from being rewarded with office.

Common misconceptions

Myth: The Governor can dismiss the Chief Minister or Ministers whenever he personally wishes.
Fact: Courts have clarified that the Governor's 'pleasure' is exercised on the advice of the Council of Ministers and is checked by the requirement of confidence in the Legislative Assembly, not personal discretion.
Myth: A Chief Minister can appoint an unlimited number of Ministers.
Fact: Since the 91st Amendment (2003), clause (1A) caps the Council of Ministers at 15% of the Assembly's total membership, with a minimum of 12.
Myth: Anyone can be made a Minister regardless of their legislative status.
Fact: Clause (4) requires a Minister to become a member of the state legislature within six months, and clause (1B) bars disqualified defectors from being appointed during their disqualification period.