Ajay Kumar Bhalla Sworn in as Governor of Manipur
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Imphal, Jan 3 (NationPress) The former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla was officially sworn in as the Governor of Manipur in a succinct ceremony held at Raj Bhavan on Friday.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Manipur High Court Chief Justice D. Krishnakumar during a simple yet formal event at Raj Bhavan.
Present at the ceremony were Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, his Cabinet members, and senior security and civil officials, with Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi overseeing the proceedings.
Upon his arrival in Imphal, Bhalla was warmly welcomed by the Chief Minister, Assembly Speaker Satyabrata Singh, and other notable figures.
On December 24, President Droupadi Murmu appointed Bhalla as the new Governor of Manipur.
Following the resignation of former Governor Anusuiya Uikey, Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya has been serving as the acting Governor since July 31.
Bhalla, who is a member of the 1984 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, has extensive experience in managing various crises in the northeastern region, having served as the top official in the Ministry of Home Affairs for several years.
He was the Union Home Secretary during the onset of the ethnic violence between the majority Meitei community and the minority Koki-Zo community, which erupted on May 3, 2023.
Throughout the 20-month-long ethnic clashes, more than 250 individuals from both communities lost their lives, over 1,000 sustained injuries, and more than 60,000 were displaced from their homes and villages.
Despite the significant deployment of Central security forces and a partial reintroduction of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in specific areas, violent occurrences continue in some districts.
Many organizations, including the influential Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which represents the Meitei community, have been advocating for the repeal of AFSPA.
Recently, Chief Minister Singh stated that resolving the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state would take time due to the complex, chronic, and fragile nature of the situation.
He noted that, gradually, the conditions in Manipur are improving, with most districts remaining free from incidents for the past several months.
According to CM Singh, "The state and Central security forces, along with the civil administration, are making every effort to uphold peace and provide services to the population," he informed the media.
