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Why can the appointment of state governors cause conflict between India’s states and the union government?

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Flag of India — India The Indian flag is also called the tricolor. The top band is saffron in color (signifying courage), the middle band is white (signifying peace and truth), and the bottom band is green (signifying fertility and growth). The wheel in the middle depicts the wheel of the law in the lion capital in Sarnath that Mauryan emperor Ashoka created.

The appointment and role of state governors in India often create friction between state and union governments due to the governor's dual identity as the constitutional head of a state and the representative of the president of India.12

Because governors are appointed by the president on the advice of the central government, critics frequently allege partisanship, arguing that governors may act in favor of the ruling party at the center, thereby undermining India's federal structure. Conflict typically arises from the exercise of the governor’s discretionary powers, which include:1

Recommending president’s rule to dismiss state governments.13
Reserving state-passed bills for the president’s consideration.13
Appointing a chief minister in the event of a hung assembly.13

Historically, these powers have been used to dismiss democratically elected state governments, a practice the courts have since limited by mandating that such interventions occur only under extreme circumstances. Despite recommendations from reform commissions to ensure impartiality, tensions persist regarding the governor's independence from central political influence.1