Government of Kerala

Government of Kerala
കേരള സർക്കാർ
Seat of GovernmentKerala Government Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram
Websitekerala.gov.in
Legislative branch
Assembly
SpeakerA. N. Shamseer, CPI(M)
Deputy SpeakerChittayam Gopakumar, (CPI)
Members in Assembly140
Meeting placeNiyamasabha Mandiram, Thiruvananthapuram
Executive branch
Governor
(Head of the state)
Arif Mohammad Khan
Chief Minister
(Head of the government)
Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M)
Chief SecretarySarada Muraleedharan, IAS[1]
HeadquartersKerala Government Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram
Departments44
Judiciary
High CourtHigh Court of Kerala
Chief JusticeMuhamed Mustaque Ayumantakath (acting)
SeatKochi, Ernakulam

The Government of Kerala (abbreviated as GoK), also known as the Kerala Government, is the administrative body responsible for governing Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior ministers belong to the supreme decision-making committee, known as the cabinet.

Ministers of the Kerala government are responsible to the Kerala Legislative Assembly; they make statements in the assembly and take questions from members of the assembly. The government is dependent on Kerala Legislative Assembly to make primary legislation. Legislative assembly elections are held every five years to elect a new assembly, unless there is a successful vote of no confidence in the government or a two-thirds vote for a snap election in the assembly, in which case an election may be held sooner. After an election, the governor selects as chief minister the leader of the party most likely to command the confidence of the assembly, usually by possessing a majority of MLAs.

Under the Indian constitution, executive authority lies with the governor, although this authority is exercised only by, or on the advice of, the chief minister and the cabinet. In most cases, the cabinet members exercise power directly as leaders of the government departments, though some cabinet positions are sinecures to a greater or lesser degree.