Sworn in by the Governor at the Central Stadium: the Chief Minister who heads Kerala's 20-member cabinet

Background

Kerala's Chief Minister and his ministers attended this week's swearing-in of the new Governor, which is a reminder of how the present ministry took office. V D Satheesan of the Congress was sworn in as Chief Minister of Keralam on Monday, 18 May 2026, at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

The oath of office was administered by the then Governor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. Satheesan heads a 20-member cabinet. The Congress-led United Democratic Front formed the government, returning to power after a decade, ending the Left Democratic Front's ten-year rule. Former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attended the ceremony.

The standing point is that the Chief Minister and the other ministers are sworn in by the Governor of the State, not by a judge.