Kohima: Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla was on Monday sworn in as the 22nd governor of Nagaland at a function held at Raj Bhavan in Kohima.
Bhalla has been given the additional charge, following the demise of Governor La Ganesan.
Bhalla was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Justice Ashutosh Kumar.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Ministers TR Zeliang and Y Patton, several state ministers, MLAs, senior bureaucrats and other dignitaries attended the oath-taking ceremony.
After taking the oath, Bhalla held his first interaction with the state cabinet led by Rio at Raj Bhavan.
He also inspected a ceremonial guard of honour as part of the swearing-in ceremony.
The programme, chaired by Chief Secretary Sentiyanger lmchen, concluded with a reception at Raj Bhavan, where political leaders, tribal bodies, church representatives, and civil society organisations extended greetings to the new constitutional head of the state.
Among Nagaland’s 17 major tribes, members of the Committee on Review of Reservation Policy (CoRRP) — representing the Ao, Angami, Lotha, Rengma, and Sumi tribes — did not participate in the event.
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The forum has been demanding for a review of more than four-decade-old reservation policy for backward tribes in the state.
The members of CoRRP also boycotted the Independence Day celebration this month.
