Career
He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Nord-Trøndelag in 1945, and was re-elected on six occasions. From 1963 to 1965, while the fourth cabinet Gerhardsen held office, Granli was appointed Minister of Agriculture. During this period his seat in parliament was taken by Hans Mikal Solsem.
Granli was later Vice President of the Storting from 1967 to 1972, and from October 2, 1972 to September 30, 1973 he was President of the Storting.
His political career ended with the position of County Governor of Nord-Trøndelag, which he held from 1971 to 1979. Outside politics he worked as a journalist in Arbeider-Avisen from 1937 to 1940, and was editor-in-chief of Hardanger Folkeblad from 1940 to 1941.
From 1935 to 1940 he also worked as a farmer. He had no formal qualifications in the field of agriculture prior to becoming Minister of Agriculture.