Chief Minister of Maharashtra explained

The chief minister of Maharashtra (IAST: Mahārāṣṭrāce Mukhyamaṃtrī) is the head of government of the Indian state of Maharashtra. As per the Constitution of India, the governor of Maharashtra is the state's de jure head, but de facto executive authority rests with the chief minister, a template applicable to all other Indian states. Following elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the governor usually invites the political party (or a coalition of political parties) with a majority of assembly seats to form the government in the state. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers is collectively responsible to the assembly. If the appointee is not a member of either the Legislative Council or the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra, then the Constitution stipulates that they need to be elected within six months of being sworn in.^[1] Given that they have the confidence of the assembly, the chief minister's term is for five years, renewable, and is subject to no term limits.^[2] Usually, the chief minister also serves as leader of the house in the legislative assembly.^[3]

The state of Maharashtra was formed from parts of Bombay and Hyderabad States on 1 May 1960.^[4] Yashwantrao Chavan of the Indian National Congress, who was serving as the third chief minister of Bombay since 1956, became the first chief minister of the newly formed state. Marotrao Kannamwar succeeded him after the 1962 assembly elections, and is the only chief minister to die while in office.^{[5] [6]} Vasantrao Naik, whose term extended for more than 11 years from December 1963 to February 1975, has been the longest serving chief minister. With the exception of Devendra Fadnavis of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and four people from Shiv Sena, all other chief ministers have been from the Congress and its breakaway parties.^{[7] [8] [9]} The President's rule has been imposed thrice in the state first from February to June 1980, second from September to October 2014, and lastly in November 2019.^{[10] [11]}

Devendra Fadnavis is the current incumbent serving since 5 December 2024.^[12]

Predecessors

Prime ministers of Bombay (1937–47)

The Bombay Presidency, which existed during the British Raj, was led by the prime minister of Bombay since the creation of the post in 1937.

Chief ministers of Bombay (1947–60)

Following the Indian Independence in 1947, the province of Bombay was established from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency. The Bombay State was created in 1950 following the adoption of the Constitution of India and its territory underwent constant change in the following years. It comprised the Bombay province (roughly equating to the present-day Indian state of Maharashtra, excluding South Maharashtra and Vidarbha) and parts of the princely states of the Baroda, Western India and Gujarat (part of present-day Gujarat) and Deccan states (parts of the present-day Maharashtra and Karnataka).^[16] During the reorganisation of Indian states in 1956, the Bombay state was enlarged by the addition of Saurashtra and Kutch States, the Marathi-speaking districts of Nagpur Division of Madhya Pradesh and Marathwada region of Hyderabad State, while the southernmost districts of the state were transferred to Mysore State.^[17]

Chief ministers of Maharashtra

The Bombay state was dissolved to form the present-day states of Maharashtra and Gujarat by the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960, which was enacted by the Parliament of India on 25 April 1960 and came into effect on 1 May 1960.^{[4] [18]}

Key

• No.: Incumbent number
• Died in office
• Returned to office after a previous non-consecutive term
• Resigned
• Resigned following a no-confidence motion

Statistics

See also

• List of chairmen of the Maharashtra Legislative Council
• List of leaders of the house in the Maharashtra Legislative Council
• List of leaders of the opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council
• List of speakers of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
• List of deputy speakers of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
• List of leaders of the opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly

Notes and References

1. News: Chavan elected to Legislative Council. Business Line. 1 June 2019.
2. Book: Durga Das Basu. Durga Das Basu. Introduction to the Constitution of India. 1960. 20. 241-245. LexisNexis Butterworths Wadhwa. 978-81-8038-559-9. Although the text talks about Indian state governments in general, it applies for the specific case of Maharashtra as well..
3. Web site: Leader of the House. Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. 1 June 2025.
4. Web site: The Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960. 1960-04-25. India Code - Digital Repository of Legislation. https://web.archive.org/web/20180524004247/https://indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1535/1/196011.pdf. 24 May 2018. dead.
5. Web site: Before Jayalalithaa, 16 chief ministers who died in office. 7 December 2016. The Indian Express. 22 May 2018.
6. Web site: Jayalalithaa is dead: Here are other chief ministers who died while still in office. Firstpost. 7 December 2016 . 22 May 2018.
7. Web site: Down but not out. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129040803/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110710/jsp/7days/story_14219143.jsp. dead. 29 November 2014. 10 July 2011. The Telegraph.
8. Coalitions in Maharashtra Political fragmentation or Social Reconfiguration?. Palshikar. Suhas. Birmal. Nitin. Ghotale. Vivek. 2010. Savitribai Phule University.
9. Web site: Indira Gandhi installed as president of break-away faction of Congress Party. India Today. 21 April 2015 . en. 22 May 2018.
10. Web site: Use of President's Rule peaked on February 17, 1980: Some facts. 1 March 2018. India Today. 17 February 2016.
11. News: President's rule: 'Unprecedented but logical'. 1 March 2018. Business Line.
12. News: Devendra Fadnavis takes oath as Maha CM, Shinde & Ajit his deputies . . 4 December 2024 . 4 December 2024.
13. Book: Bombay 1937-1938: A Review of the Administration of the Bombay Presidency . 1939 . Government Central Press, Bombay . . 160–161.
14. Web site: Chief Ministers (1937 to 2019) . 15 May 2021 . . mr.
15. Web site: Forgotten fact: Most Mumbaiites are breaking the law when they grab a drink . 17 May 2015 .
16. Book: Desai, S. H.. A critical study of the development of secondary education for girls in Gujarat its history and present day problems. Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. 1972. 411–420. 10603/57937.
17. Web site: The States Reorganisation Act, 1956. 31 August 1956. India Code. https://web.archive.org/web/20180524004048/https://indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1680/1/195637.pdf. 2018-05-24. dead.
18. Web site: 1 May 2019 . Explained: How Gujarat, Maharashtra came into being . 1 June 2021 . The Indian Express.
19. Web site: 27 June 2014 . Information sought under RTI Act, 2005 . 23 May 2018 . Ministry of Home Affairs . 7.