Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar sworn in as Tamil Nadu’s full‑time Governor

Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar took oath as full‑time Governor of Tamil Nadu on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Lok Bhavan in Chennai. The appointment was made by President Droupadi Murmu, ending a seven‑month period during which Arlekar had been handling the Tamil Nadu governorship in addition to his duties as Governor of Kerala. He assumed the extra charge on March 5, 2026, after R.N. Ravi, the previous Tamil Nadu governor, was transferred to West Bengal. Prior to this, Arlekar served as the constitutional head of Kerala. The ceremony was attended by Sajjansingh R. Chavan, Secretary to the Governor, and senior officials of Lok Bhavan. Later that day, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay met Governor Arlekar at the same venue and conveyed his greetings on the new appointment.

Context

In India, the President appoints state governors who act as the central government's representative in the state. When a governor’s post becomes vacant, an existing governor may be given additional charge until a permanent appointment is made.