Kohima: In a solemn ceremony at Raj Bhavan today, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the current Governor of Manipur, was sworn in as the 22nd Governor of Nagaland. The appointment follows the passing of former Governor La Ganesan. Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Justice Ashutosh Kumar, administered the oath of office, with a distinguished gathering of state leaders in attendance. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Ministers TR Zeliang and Y Patton, along with ministers, MLAs, and senior officials, witnessed the proceedings.
Following the swearing-in, Governor Bhalla wasted no time in engaging with the state’s leadership. He held his inaugural meeting with the state cabinet at Raj Bhavan and inspected a ceremonial guard of honour. A subsequent reception saw a wide array of political leaders, church representatives, tribal bodies, and civil society groups extending their greetings to the new governor. However, a notable absence from the reception was the Committee on Review of Reservation Policy (CORRP), a body representing the Ao, Angami, Lotha, Rengma, and Sumi tribes. The committee has been a vocal advocate for reforms to the state’s four-decade-old job reservation system. Despite the government’s recent announcement of a Reservation Review Commission, the CORRP has rejected the proposal, insisting on the inclusion of tribal and civil society representatives in the review process.
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