Thawar Chand Gehlot

Thaawar Chand Gehlot
Gehlot in 2024
Governor of Karnataka
In office
11 July 2021 – 16 October 2026
Chief Minister
Preceded byVajubhai Vala
Succeeded bySudha Yadav
Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
In office
26 May 2014 – 7 July 2021
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
Preceded byMallikarjun Kharge
Succeeded byVirendra Kumar Khatik
27th Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha
In office
11 June 2019 – 6 July 2021
ChairmanVenkaiah Naidu
Preceded byArun Jaitley
Succeeded byPiyush Goyal
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office
3 April 2012 – 7 July 2021
Succeeded byL. Murugan
ConstituencyMadhya Pradesh
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
12 May 1996 – 16 May 2009
Preceded byPhool Chand Verma
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
ConstituencyShajapur, Madhya Pradesh
Personal details
Born (1948-05-18) 18 May 1948 (age 78)
Rupeta, Central India Agency, Dominion of India
(present-day Madhya Pradesh, India)
PartyBharatiya Janata Party
Other political
affiliations
National Democratic Alliance
Spouse
Anita Gehlot
​
(m. 1965)​
Children4
EducationVikram University
Source:

Thawar Chand Gehlot (born 18 May 1948) is an Indian politician who is the former Governor of Karnataka, being the first person serving as the Governor of Karnataka from Madhya Pradesh. He assumed office of the Governor of Karnataka on 11 July 2021 and his last working day is 13.10.2026 as the President of India has appointed Dr. Sudha Yadav as the New Governor of Karnataka. He also served as the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment in the Government of India from 2014 to 2021. He was also the Leader of the House in the upper house of Indian Parliament. He was a member of the Parliamentary Board and the Central Election Committee of the BJP.

Early life

Gehlot was born in a Dalit family in the village of Rupeta in Nagda in the Central India Agency of the Dominion of India, which is in present-day Madhya Pradesh, India. His family migrated from Rupeta to Nagda when factories of Grasim Industries were set up in Nagda. He worked hard in his early life and was specially keen to many sports such as kabaddi and hockey.

He is a senior member of Bharatiya Janata Party. He had assumed ministerial berth a number of times in the union government.

He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree from Vikram University, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

Career

In 1980 he participated in the Vidhan Sabha election from Alote.

He was a member of the Rajya Sabha, upper house of Indian Parliament representing the state of Madhya Pradesh. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University of Social Sciences. He formerly represented Shajapur in the lower house of Indian Parliament, Lok Sabha from 1996 to 2009. He served as the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, in Modi's 2nd cabinet. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was also the general secretary of the party.

Governor

On 6 July 2021, Thawar Chand Gehlot was appointed the 13th Governor of Karnataka.

Following the 2023 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election, Gehlot invited Siddaramaiah to form the government after the Indian National Congress secured a majority in the Assembly. On 20 May 2023, he administered the oath of office to Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister and to the members of the Council of Ministers.

In August 2024, Gehlot granted sanction for the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 in connection with the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority land allotment case (MUDA case), following petitions filed by activists.[AI-retrieved source] The decision was challenged by Siddaramaiah, who alleged that the sanction was politically motivated and legally untenable. The Karnataka High Court upheld the Governor's sanction, allowing the investigation to proceed, while the matter also became the subject of further judicial proceedings. The Governor's decision drew significant political attention and sparked debate over the discretionary powers of Governors in granting prosecution sanction against sitting Chief Ministers.

In January 2026, Gehlot declined to read certain portions of the Governor's Address prepared by the Karnataka government during the Budget Session of the Karnataka Legislature, stating that they were inconsistent with constitutional conventions. He read only the opening and concluding portions of the address before leaving the Assembly. The incident triggered a political controversy, following which Gehlot submitted a report on the proceedings to the President of India.

In July 2026, Gehlot suspended Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Chairman Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar following allegations that he had facilitated the unlawful selection of his two daughters for government posts and failed to disclose a conflict of interest. Invoking his powers under Article 317 of the Constitution, Gehlot also recommended that the President of India refer the matter to the Supreme Court for an inquiry into the allegations. Pending the inquiry, the senior-most member of the Commission was directed to discharge the functions of the KPSC Chairman.

References

  1. ↑ "Thawarchand Gehlot will be sworn-in as Governor of Karnataka on July 11". India Tv. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  2. ↑ Kumar Singh, Akhilesh (6 July 2021). "Thawar Chand Gehlot appointed Karnataka governor amid Modi cabinet reshuffle buzz". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  3. ↑ "Thawar Chand Gehlot sworn in as Governor of Karnataka". The Hindu. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "Gehlot to swear-in on July 11". Deccan Chronicle. PTI. 9 July 2021.
  5. ↑ "PM Modi allocates portfolios. Full list of new ministers". Live Mint. 31 May 2019.
  6. ↑ "Thawar Chand Gehlot: BJP's Dalit face becomes minister for second time". India Today. PTI. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. ↑ Minister Biodata (PDF). Ministry of Social Justice (Report).
  8. ↑ "63 साल में पहली बार दलित और आदिवासी को देश में मिली मानद उपाधि, इन्होंने बढ़ाया मान". Patrika. 19 November 2019.
  9. ↑ "Thawar Chand Gehlot: The Scheduled Caste face in Narendra Modi's cabinet". The Economic Times. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  10. ↑ "BJP National office bearers". BJP. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Karnataka swearing-in ceremony: What is the oath leaders take, and how it was adopted". The Indian Express. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Srivatsa, Sharath S. (20 May 2023). "Siddaramaiah sworn in as CM, D.K. Shivakumar as Deputy CM of Karnataka". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "'Totally unconstitutional': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah after guv sanctions prosecution in Muda 'scam'". The Times of India. 18 August 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Could Karnataka Governor have given sanction to prosecute CM Siddaramaiah? The issues before High Court". The Indian Express. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Karnataka HC upholds Governor's nod for graft cases against Siddaramaiah in MUDA 'scam' case: 'no fault can be found'". The Indian Express. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "Why Karnataka HC upheld Governor's nod to investigate Siddaramaiah in alleged MUDA scam case". The Indian Express. 25 September 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  17. ↑ "Karnataka may move SC as governor walks out of House after two-line address". The Times of India. 23 January 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "Constitutional experts differ on governor-govt stand-off". The Times of India. 22 January 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar suspended over illegal selection of daughters". The Indian Express. 13 July 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "Karnataka High Court: Can governor suspend KPSC chief before presidential reference?". The Indian Express. 14 July 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.