Ajay Kumar Bhalla, a former Union home secretary, has been appointed as the Governor of Manipur, according to an announcement by Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. Bhalla, a 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, will assume the role following Laxman Prasad Acharya, who had been holding additional charge of the state.
Bhalla concluded his tenure as Union home secretary in August this year, a position he held since August 2019. During his term, he served the longest tenure in the role, which is considered highly significant in the country’s bureaucratic hierarchy, second only to the cabinet secretary. Ajay Kumar Bhalla was succeeded by senior IAS officer Govind Mohan.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan also announced several other gubernatorial appointments. Former Army Chief General Vijay Kumar Singh (retd) has been appointed as the Governor of Mizoram. Singh, a former Union minister, represented Ghaziabad in the Lok Sabha from 2014 to 2024 but did not contest the 2024 elections.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
In Bihar, Arif Mohammed Khan, the current Kerala Governor, will take over as the state’s new Governor. Khan, who became Kerala’s Governor in 2019, is known for his support of the Narendra Modi government’s ban on instant triple talaq and his resignation from the Rajiv Gandhi Cabinet in 1986 over the Shah Bano case.
Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the outgoing Bihar Governor, has been appointed as the Governor of Kerala, replacing Khan.
Meanwhile, Hari Babu Kambhampati, who has been serving as the Governor of Mizoram, will take on the role of Governor of Odisha.
Also read | NHAI launches project to prevent stray cattle accidents on National Highways