Ajay Kumar Bhalla Takes Oath as New Nagaland Governor with Additional Charge

By Amit Kumar

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla was sworn in on Monday as the 22nd Governor of Nagaland,
taking an additional charge of the State following the passing of former Governor La Ganesan earlier
this month.
The oath of office was administered by Justice Ashutosh Kumar, Chief Justice of the Gauhati High
Court, at a formal ceremony held in the Raj Bhavan, Kohima. The event was attended by Chief
Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Ministers T.R. Zeliang and Y.Y. Patton, alongside several cabinet
ministers, MLAs, senior officials, and dignitaries.
After being sworn in, Governor Bhalla held his first interaction with the State Cabinet and later
reviewed a ceremonial guard of honour. The programme, conducted by Chief Secretary Sentiyanger
Imchen, concluded with a reception where political leaders, church representatives, civil society
members, and tribal organisations extended greetings to the new Governor.
However, the function was marked by the absence of representatives from five major tribes—Ao,
Angami, Lotha, Rengma, and Sumi—who are part of the Committee on Review of Reservation Policy
(CoRRP). The committee, which has been demanding a review of Nagaland’s four-decade-old
reservation system for backward tribes, has announced a boycott of all government programmes
until its demands are met.
Although the State government has already constituted a Reservation Review Commission, the
committee has rejected it on the grounds that it does not include members from tribal bodies and
civil society.