Former Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla appointed new Manipur governor

Ajay Bhalla succeeds Laxman Prasad Acharya, who was assigned additional charge of the violence-hit state.

Former Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla was appointed as the new Governor of Manipur on Tuesday, the Rashtrapati Bhavan stated in its order.

Bhalla, who retired as the Home Secretary in August 2022, is from the 1984 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre.

Notably, Bhalla held the longest tenure in a crucial post, which is considered next to the country's top bureaucrat — the cabinet secretary. He was succeeded by senior IAS officer Govind Mohan.

Ajay Bhalla succeeds Laxman Prasad Acharya, who was assigned additional charge of the violence-hit state.

The new appointment comes at a crucial time, as Manipur has faced challenges related to ethnic violence and unrest. As Governor, Bhalla will be expected to navigate the state's delicate political and social landscape, working towards maintaining peace and stability.

This move is part of a broader reshuffling of key positions in the country, with the President appointing Governors for five states.

VK Singh, a retired Army Chief and former minister in the previous Narendra Modi-led government has been appointed as the new Governor of Mizoram.

Meanwhile, the Governors of Kerala and Bihar have swapped positions. Arif Mohammed Khan, the Governor of Kerala, will now serve as the Governor of Bihar, while Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the Governor of Bihar, will take charge of Kerala.

The President has accepted the resignation of Shri Raghubar Das as Governor of Odisha. Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati, Governor of Mizoram, has been appointed as the Governor of Odisha in his place.