Srinagar, Oct 31 (KNS): Amid heightened security arrangements, the first ever Lieutenant Governors for Srinagar and Ladakh Girish Chandra Murmu and RK Mathur respectively on Thursday took oath from Chief Justice of J&K High Court Geeta Mittal. During oath ceremony administrative officials, Army commanders and political leaders remained present.
According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Girish Chandra Murmu today took oath as the 1st Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. He was administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy by Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, at a function held at the Raj Bhavan here today. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary, read the Warrant of Appointment.
Notably, central government on August 5, took away special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the constitution and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories (UT’s)- Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The order of UT comes into force on Thursday October, 31.
Reports said that oath ceremonies were held separately in Srinagar and Ladakh with low-key affair where prominent functionaries remained away. Dr. Nirmal Kumar Singh, Speaker, J&K Legislative Assembly; Vijay Kumar, K.K. Sharma, Khurshid Ganai, K. Skandan, Farooq Khan- Advisors to Governor; Jugal Kishore, Member of Parliament; Lt. Gen. KJS Dhillon, GoC 15 Corps; Judges of High Court were among the guests present at the ceremony.
Senior officials of civil administration, police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Army, family members and friends of Murmu and Mathur were also present on the occasion.
It said, Chief Justice of the J&K High Court, administered the oath to Girish Chandra Murmu as first governor of Jammu & Kashmir, at 12:45 pm at Raj Bhawan here. Those who attended the ceremony were Chief Secretary B V R Subhramanyam, GoC 15 Corps Lt Gen K J S Dhillon, Member Parliament Nazir Ahmad Laway, BJP leader Jugal Kishore, former Dy CM Nirmal Singh besides big chunk of administrative secretaries and officials.
Earlier Chief Justice Geeta Mittal administered oath to Radha Krishan Mathur as the first Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Union Territory at 07:15 am where local politicians and officials remained present during the ceremony.
Authorities have made tight security arrangements both in Srinagar and Ladakh to end the ceremonies peacefully.
Police also told KNS that security personnel including the Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed in strength at all sensitive places.
“Security personnel along with a flying squad have been deployed in several areas in the city and across the valley, especially in South Kashmir. Random checking of vehicles and frisking of people was being done as part of the security drill,” sources said.
After taking oath, Lieutenant Governors, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will function as two separate Union Territories and the State of J&K will stand bifurcated as per Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act passed by the Parliament on August 6 and later approved by President Ram Nath Kovind.
According to the J&K Re-organization Act 2019, The Lt Governor will decide about the provisional strength, composition and allocation of officers after assuming the charge of the respective offices. (KNS)