With a week left for bifurcation of J&K into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik was transferred and appointed Goa Governor while IAS officer Girish Chandra Murmu was named as the first Lieutenant Governor of the proposed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, another IAS officer Radha Krishna Mathur has been appointed as the first Lieutenant Governor of proposed Union Territory of Ladakh. Mathur, a 1977-batch officer, has served as the defence secretary and is a former Chief Information Commissioner (CIC).
A 1985-batch Gujarat cadre officer, Murmu is serving as the Expenditure Secretary in the Union Finance Ministry. Murmu was also the principal secretary to Narendra Modi during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister.
The two Union Territories will come into existence on October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.
The move comes at least three months after the Centre scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and also divided the state into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Interestingly, the revamp comes three days after Satya Pal Malik lamented over the fact that the post of a governor in the country was very weak, saying he does not enjoy the right to hold a press conference or talk his heart out.
Addressing the seventh convocation of the Mata Vaishno Devi University in Katra town of Reasi district, Satya Pal Malik had said he remained apprehensive over his remarks not annoying anyone in New Delhi.
“Governor is a weak entity. He does not have the right to hold a press conference or talk his heart out. I remain apprehensive for almost three days hoping that my words have not annoyed anyone in Delhi,” Malik said.
Meanwhile, PS Sreedharan Pillai, currently Kerala BJP president, has been appointed as the Governor of Mizoram.
