Imphal: Former union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla took oath as the 19th governor of Manipur during a function at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Friday.
Bhalla was administered the oath of office by Manipur High Court Chief Justice D Krishnakumar.
Bhalla inspected the ceremonial guard of honour provided by Manipur Rifles personnel.
He succeeds Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who had been serving as the Governor-in-charge since July 2023.
Bhalla received a warm reception upon his arrival at Imphal International Airport on Thursday, where was accorded a warm reception by a team led by Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh.
At Raj Bhavan, he was welcomed by Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh, Speaker Th. Satyabrata, Chief Secretary, and other senior officials. Manipur Rifles and IRB personnel gave him the Rashtriya Salute.
Taking to X, CM Biren Singh wrote, “Attended the swearing-in ceremony of Hon’ble Governor Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla Ji at Raj Bhawan today. I extend my heartfelt best wishes for his successful tenure and look forward to working together towards a peaceful and prosperous Manipur under his leadership.”
Attended the swearing-in ceremony of Hon’ble Governor Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla Ji at Raj Bhawan today.
I extend my heartfelt best wishes for his successful tenure and look forward to working together towards a peaceful and prosperous Manipur under his leadership. pic.twitter.com/HRXjQN8eR8
— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) January 3, 2025
A retired IAS officer from the 1984 batch (Assam-Meghalaya cadre), Bhalla served as India’s Home Secretary for nearly five years until August 2024.
Hailing from Jalandhar, Punjab, his appointment comes at a critical time for Manipur, which has been grappling with ethnic violence since May 2023.
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The appointment was approved by President Droupadi Murmu, with an official notification issued on December 24, 2024.
