NEW DELHI, Dec. 4 -- A tussle between the Chief Minister of a state and its Governor is nothing new. Whether in Delhi, Kerala, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, or Tamil Nadu, newspapers are often replete with stories reporting differences of opinion between the two sides. Sometimes, these tussles go to the extent of accusing each other of non-performance, leading to a stalemate, especially in opposition-ruled states.

Frequently, this disagreement goes to the extent of stalling the executive's functioning, even against the public interest. In many states, Governors have been sitting on Bills passed by the State Assembly for months, without considering the impact this would have on the general public.

Data published by the PRS Legislative Research,...