Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Assembly Speaker Pradip Amat welcomed Malik who arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar this afternoon. Malik was later given a Guard of Honour at the Raj Bhawan.
After the tenure of SC Jamir ended on Tuesday, President Ram Nath Kovind directed Malik to discharge functions of Governor of Odisha, in addition to his own duties.
Official sources said Malik will remain in-charge of Odisha until regular arrangements are made for the office of Odisha Governor.
Malik (72), a former MP and BJP's national vice president, has also been elected to the Rajya Sabha for two terms. He has also served as the MoS for Parliamentary Affairs, and Tourism.
President Ram Nath Kovind has directed Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik to discharge functions of Governor of Odisha, in addition to his own duties.
Official sources said Malik will remain in-charge of Odisha until regular arrangements are made for the office of Odisha Governor.
SC Jamir was earlier sworn in as Odisha Governor on March 31, 2013.
Governor SC Jamir on Tuesday highlighted the State’s achievement while delivering his last address in Odisha Legislative Assembly here.
Jamir stated that the people are much relieved after the formation of Tribunal to resolve the Mahanadi river water dispute with Chhattisgarh.
"My government has amended the Odia Official Language Act under which provision for punishment has been made, if Odia is not used as official language."
Besides, the State government has also made special provisions for development of tribals and formed special development councils in nine tribal dominated districts, he added.
The Chief Minister is talking directly with villagers and problems are being resolved quickly, Jamir mentioned.
"We organised the Asian Athletic meet in 90 days. Apart from this, by hosting the World Hockey League Odisha has become a sports hub," Jamir pointed out.
Earlier in the day, Jamir was given a guard of honour on premises of the Odisha Assembly.
"We strongly condemn the way the Governor illegally and unconstitutionally dissolved the Assembly.
"The Governor has toyed with the Constitution and it was done at the behest of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)," Congress leader Manish Tewari told the media here.
The former Union Minister questioned as to why Malik did not dissolve the House in the last six months after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in June withdrew support to the Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) coalition government.
"For the last five-six months, the BJP tried its best to garner support by indulging in horse trading. But when its conspiracy failed to yield any result, it got the Governor to dissolve the Assembly just after the PDP, National Conference and the Congress staked claim to form the government," Tewari said.
Earlier in the day former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram also targeted Malik saying parliamentary democracy was "outdated" for the BJP-appointed Governor.
"As long as no one staked a claim to form government, Jammu and Kashmir Governor was happy to keep the Assembly under suspension. The moment someone staked a claim, he dissolved the Assembly. Parliamentary democracy standing on its head.
"The Westminster model of democracy is outdated. Like in all other matters, it is the Gujarat model that has appealed to the J&K Governor," Chidambaram tweeted.
The party also ridiculed the Governor's defence on Wednesday, when he maintained that "the grand alliance" of PDP, National Conference and Congress was an "opportunistic" one.
"It is unfortunate that the Governor is talking more like a BJP spokesperson than a governor. We strongly condemn his action and demand that elections are held at the earliest for the sake of democracy," said party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
In a dramatic development, Malik late on Wednesday dissolved the Assembly after the three parties staked claim to form the government which was followed by People's Conference leader Sajad Lone making a rival claim to power with the backing of BJP and rebel PDP MLAs.
The university administration has suspended three Kashmiri students on charges of trying to organise funeral prayers on the campus for slain Hizbul commander Manan Bashir Wani, an AMU research scholar who had joined militancy in January this year.
Kashmiri students at the university are protesting the suspension of the three. About 1,200 Kashmiri students have written to the AMU authorities, threating that they would quit studies at the university unless sedition charges were dropped against the accused students.
The Governor spoke to Javadekar seeking his intervention to ensure "smooth studies of the Kashmiri students at AMU", an official statement said.
The Governor also spoke to the Vice Chancellor of AMU, Tariq Mansoor.
Malik urged Javadekar and Professor Tariq to ensure that the issue was resolved at the earliest and there was no disruption to Kashmiri students' studies.
Jammu and Kashmir is currently under Governor's rule with its Assembly placed in suspended animation.
In other significant appointments and transfers of Governors, veteran BJP leader Lalji Tandon has been appointed the Governor of Bihar while Baby Rani Maurya has been given the charge of Uttarakhand, replacing K.K. Paul.
The Centre has also appointed Satyadev Narayan Arya as the Governor of Haryana.
Kaptan Singh Solanki, the Governor of Haryana, has been shifted as the Governor of Tripura.
Ganga Prasad, the Governor of Meghalaya, will now be the Governor of Sikkim.
Governor Tathagata Roy in Tripura will move to Meghalaya.
"The appointments will take effect from the dates the incumbents assume charge of their respective offices," a communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
(Photo Source: IndiaToday)
Officials at the state Raj Bhawan were embarrassed on Tuesday morning when the Governor's official twitter handle was hacked showing the governor among the followers of the Pakistan Prime Minister.
Officials said corrective action was immediately taken and a complaint was lodged with the state police against the hackers who played the mischief.
"We want President's rule to end as soon as possible. The final call on holding Assembly elections in the state will be taken by the Election Commission", he told media on the sides of a flyover inauguration in the city.
Asked whether the top officials of his administration were reluctant to hand over power to an elected government, the Governor said there is nothing like that.
Jammu & Kashmir was placed under Governor's rule in June last year after the Mehbooba Mufti-led BJP-PDP coalition government collapsed.
After the six-month-long period of Governor's rule ended in November last year, President's rule was imposed and is scheduled to end on June 20.
Since it is not possible to hold Assembly elections and install an elected government in this period, another spell of President's rule appears inevitable.
The decision to seek the Centre's permission to open these out-of-bound areas has been taken in a meeting of the State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik.
At present, tourists need permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs to visit any inner line area in Ladakh. Likewise, a permit is required to visit tribal and out-of-bound areas in Ladakh.
The peaks that the government plans to throw open are mostly in Drass and Batalik sector of Kargil, where intense fighting took place between the Indian soldiers and the intruding Pakistan Army in 1999.
The base of Tiger Hill, which received high coverage during the war, will also be opened for tourists.
Trekking routes that the government plans to open include Kargil-Lalung-Shahshi Lake-Darchiks/Garkone Broq, Kargil-Hunderman Brok Ridge (LoC visit), Batalik Junction to Gargardo (apricot village), Drass-Sumda-Marpola (Tiger Hill Base), National Highway to Kaksar Village (LoC visit), National Highway to Lato Village (LoC visit) and National Highway to Budgam-Majdass Village (LoC visit).
Other trekking routes would be Faroona-Jasgund via Lasar La, Akshow (Zanskar)-Gulab Garh (Kishtwar), Padum-Gulab Garh (Kishtwar) via Omasila, Padum-Dangale (Padder Valley) via Pot La, Kanore-Batambis-Sapi, Sapi to Rangdum via Rusila and Wakha La, Rangdum-Heniskote via Kanjila, Rangdum-Padum via Pangong La and Padum-Ralakung and Padum-Lamayuru.
The official spokesperson of the Jammu and Kashmir government said in a media statement that one of the major attractions of the state, particularly in the Ladakh region, is the vast scope it offers for trekking.
"The trekking avenues available range from short to day-long trek up and down mountain slopes, to long trans-mountain traverses involving week of trekking and camping in the wilderness.
"The south-west flanks for the Ladakh region, particularly the Suru and Zanaskar valleys, offer a variety of trekking routes involving the crossing of world's greatest mountain range through various passes in its crest," the statement read.
The trekking routes the government plans to open were traditionally used by the locals for trade and travel since ancient times. The cross-Himalayan trek passes through high pass and amidst scenic splendors, wild fauna and flora.
Delegations from Kargil had in recent past visited the Governor and asked to promote tourism in the area. "Now that youth across India are inclined more towards adventure activities, these treks along with other cross-Himalayan treks can be a well sought-after destination," according to Governor Malik.
He pointed out during the SAC meeting that the opening of these trekking routes will provide employment to the local population, particularly in Kargil region, and help to showcase the tourism potential of the state.
Sajjad Hussain, a tour and travel agent based in Kargil town, said tourists coming to Ladakh mostly visited Leh district as a result Kargil mostly remained ignored. "However, if these peaks are thrown open for trekkers, we could hope for a hike in business in coming months," said Hussain.
The Governor said this to a delegation of political leaders of various parties led by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, an official spokesman said here in a statement late Friday night.
The Governor requested the political leaders to ask their supporters not to mix up matters, to maintain calm and not believe exaggerated rumours being circulated all around.
The Governor himself had clarified matters on Article 35-A in Baramulla on Thursday and the day before in Srinagar, the spokesman said.
He said the delegation expressed concerns about the panic situation in the Kashmir valley created by the developments during the day including the advisory issued by the government asking Amarnath yatris and tourists to return as soon as possible.
Malik informed the delegation that there were serious and credible inputs which were available to the security agencies regarding terrorist attacks on Amarnath yatra.
He told the leaders there was a press conference earlier in the day by the Corps Commander of the Army and the DGP in which details of the weapons and ammunition recovered were given.
"Details of the seriousness of the threats that are there were also given. They also mentioned that the security forces were going to tackle these threats head on and will not allow them to succeed," the Governor said.
"It is in this context that the government had issued an advisory asking yatris and tourists to return as soon as possible. These are a vulnerable group of people who do not know the area and are extremely vulnerable to a terrorist or a fidayeen attack," he said.
"It is the responsibility of the state to provide security to all its citizens. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, yatris and tourists have been asked to return. This is to ensure that no terrorist attack takes place on them," he added.
Malik further said unnecessary panic was being created by linking the advisory to all kinds of other issues.
"A pure security measure is being mixed up with issues with which it has no connection. That is the cause of the panic," he said.
Peoples Conference leaders Sajad Lone and Imran Ansari and bureaucrat-turned-politician and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement leader Shah Faesal were part of the delegation.
A statement released by the Raj Bhavan here said that the governor informed the delegation, led by former chief minister Omar Abdullah, that the security situation has developed in a manner which required immediate action.
"There were credible inputs which were available to the security agencies regarding terrorist attacks on the Amarnath Yatra. There has been intensified shelling on the LoC by Pakistan which was responded to effectively by the Army," the governor told the delegation.
He said that a press conference was addressed by the Army and the state police in which they briefed the media about how they foiled terror groups' sinister plans and also displayed weapons and ammunition they seized.
"The seriousness of the threat required immediate action," the governor said.
Malik also said that the state "has no knowledge of any changes to constitutional provisions" and hence no panic should be created by unnecessarily linking this security matters with all kinds of other issues.
"A pure security measure is being mixed up with issues with which it has no connection. That is the cause of the panic," he told the delegation.
It is in this security context that the government had issued an advisory Friday asking Yatris and tourists to return as soon as possible, he said.
"These are a vulnerable group of people who do not know the area and are extremely vulnerable to a terrorist or a fidayeen attack. It is the responsibility of the state to provide security to all its citizens. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, Yatris and tourists have been asked to return. This is to ensure that no terrorist attack takes place on them," the governor said.
The delegation led by Abdullah apprised the Governor about the situation in the Kashmir valley after the government advisory asking Amarnath Yatris and tourists to return as soon as possible.
They also mentioned about the panic created by people buying essential commodities hurriedly.
The governor again said that the security to its citizens has to be provided by the state even at some inconvenience, which is being done.
The governor requested the political leaders to ask their supporters to maintain calm and not believe exaggerated and unfounded rumours being circulated all around.
Malik said the administration is preparing for Eid and ensuring that maximum facilities are provided to the people. "People should celebrate Eid without fear, and peacefully," he said.
NSA Doval, who has been camping in Kashmir Valley for the past week, on Saturday visited an animal mandi in Anantnag where sheep were being sold for Monday's Eid celebrations and interacted with the traders there. Anantnag has been a hotbed of separatist activity.
A senior police officer said the ground situation has improved in the Valley, and in certain areas the shops are open.
To a question on healthcare facilities he said for anyone in need "we are encouraging them to reach the nearest government office. If they reach the primary health centre, we are arranging ambulances."
Asked why some prisoners were being shifted outside the state, he said; "We have limited detention centres in the state, and wherever we feel people have to be shifted, we are shifting them."
Meanwhile, while shops and offices were closed across the Valley, food and grocery shops were open, and people were seen queuing up outside ATMs.
Army commander Lt Gen R.P. Singh on Saturday visited the forward areas in Jammu and Pathankot to review operational preparedness.
Singh, Officiating Western Army Commander, visited Yol Cantt and forward areas of Rising Star Corps.
He visited the Headquarters and units located at Yol, Mamun and Jammu areas, where he was briefed about the operational preparedness of the Indian Army to counter threats manifested by "inimical and anti-national elements".
Last week, Northern Command Chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh conducted visits to Rajouri, Poonch, Jammu, Ladakh and North Kashmir areas along the Line of Control.
Meanwhile, the Central government on Saturday termed as "completely fabricated and incorrect" a media report that claimed there was a protest by 10,000 people in Srinagar on Friday when restrictions were eased.
The Union Home Ministry said the news report "originally published by Reuters and which appeared in the Dawn claims there was a protest involving 10,000 people in Srinagar".
"This is completely fabricated and incorrect. There have been a few stray protests in Srinagar/Baramulla, and none involved a crowd of more than 20 people," it said in a tweet.
On Friday, the administration in Jammu and Kashmir had eased prohibitory orders to allow Friday prayers in local mosques and for people to make arrangements for Monday's Eid celebrations.
The administration has lifted prohibitory orders from Jammu region, and directed schools to reopen from Saturday.
Jammu and Kashmir has under complete lockdown for the past six days, a day before the Centre revoked Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to the state.
After Rahul said there have been reports of violence in Kashmir, the Governor on Monday said he will send him an aircraft to visit the Valley and see for himself the ground situation.
He said Rahul Gandhi was responding to fake news possibly spread from across the border about the situation in Kashmir, which is peaceful with negligible incidents.
Malik said Rahul can check for himself with various Indian channels which have reported the correct position on the Kashmir Valley. "He can also check the detailed submissions made by the government in the Supreme Court today which heard a case on this matter and left it to the government.
"Rahul Gandhi is politicising the matter by seeking to bring a delegation of opposition leaders to create further unrest and problems for the common people," he said in a statement.
"He has put forth many conditions for visiting J&K, including meeting mainstream leaders under detention".
Since the Governor "had never invited him with so many pre-conditions, he has referred the case to the local police and administration to examine the request further," the statement said.
On Tuesday, Rahul had accepted Governor Malik's 'invitation' to visit Jammu and Kashmir but said he did not need an aircraft.
He said he and other opposition leaders would visit Kashmir and urged Malik to allow them the freedom to meet people, and soldiers.
On Monday, Malik invited Rahul to visit Kashmir, saying he would send an aircraft for him, after the former said, "People were dying in the state and the situation was not normal as claimed by the government."
The main Independence Day function was held at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium here where Malik hoisted the tricolour.
This was the first Independence Day in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and the splitting of the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir with an Assembly and Ladakh sans one.
All roads leading to the venue were sealed off. Security forces were deployed in large numbers at the stadium and outside. Only those with passes were allowed to go in.
According to the police sources, Lashkar and Jaish militant outfits have been active in the state and there were inputs of possible militant strike. In view of these alerts, the security forces were extra alert.
Mainstream political leaders were not present in the function as most of them have been arrested after the scrapping of Article 370. However, some second rung BJP leaders were present.
Addressing the gathering, Malik said the government was committed to the safe return of Kashmiri Pandits who had fled the Valley in thousands in 1990 after militancy erupted in the state.
Malik said that stone-pelting incidents had come down and the recruitment of Kashmiri youth in terror outfits had also reduced.
Kashmir has been witnessing restrictions on the movement of people and traffic after the abgrogation of Article 370. Communication network have been curbed and security is cautious. But no case of fatal casualty has been reported after the revocation of Article 370.
Independence Day celebrations were held in all the district headquarters. But with a total clampdown in Kashmir Valley, there were hardly any people on road, and vehicles didn't ply as well. Educational institutions and business establishments remained closed.
Security forces were deployed in strength in the market places and the highways. Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Army were seen carrying out regular patrolling in all the towns and villages of the erstwhile state.
Government Spokesperson Rohit Kansal said that reasonable restrictions have been put in place to maintain law and order in the Valley. He further said the situation in Kashmir continued to be calm as no major incidents have been reported due to which the government has given further relaxation in prohibitory orders in many areas.
"We are reviewing the situation on a regular basis. All necessary steps to relax prohibition will be taken," Kansal said.
The move will be implemented in a phased manner and around 200 politicians as well as activists are likely to be released in the first phase in September, said a source.
"The names are under consideration and a decision will be taken soon," the source said requesting anonymity.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has engaged its officials under close coordination with Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Additional Secretary (J&k Division) Gyanesh Kumar.
The process started after a Central team comprising intelligence officials, including Intelligence Bureau Chief Arvind Kumar, returned from the state last week after meeting former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti in the state.
Both Abdullah and Mehbooba are under detention since Centre's August 5 announcement of scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to the erstwhile state.
Sources said the team comprising senior Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officials have sent a report to the Home Ministry after their meeting with Jammu and Kashmir leaders in the Valley.
The Central team had camped in Srinagar for two days and returned on August 23.
As the special team largely focused on discussion over easing the leaders back into the Valley, the Ministry is planning how many leaders should be released in the first phase and whom to be released first, said the source.
While Omar Abdullah is in Hari Niwas Palace, Mehbooba Mufti has been put up in Chashme Shahi.
It is learnt that the leaders after their release from preventive detention might not be allowed to organize any public rally.
The leaders are learnt to be allowed only to meet their relatives, political leaders and people in their areas, said the source.
Since the abrogation of Article 370, thousands of people, including Jammu and Kashmir politicians and activists, were kept under preventive detention to maintain law and order and to avoid breach of peace in the region.
When the decision was announced, the regional leaders had said that Jammu and Kashmir will face adverse consequences as a result of the abrogation.
However, the state, according to the Home Ministry, has largely remained peaceful since the announcement.
While the Centre has not allowed mainstream leaders to visit Kashmir, citing law and order situation and prohibitory orders, the decision to finally ease out regional leaders has been taken keeping in view important international developments.
Over a thousand people, including political leaders, separatists, activists and stone pelters, have been detained in Kashmir over fears of outbreaks of unrest after the BJP government removed the special status to the state.
They were arrested and held under the Public Safety Act (PSA), a controversial law that allows authorities to imprison someone for up to two years without charge or trial.
He also said that about 50,000 new government jobs will be created in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference, Malik said: "Every Kashmiri life is valuable to us, we don't have loss of even a single life."
He said there has been no civilian casualties, and "only the few who got violent are injured".
"Those who are injured have below the waist injuries," he said, adding how can his administration can hide any data on deaths when everyday, teams from the Centre are coming to meet him.
Announcing that the government was opening mobile phone connectivity in Kupwara and Handwara districts, he said: "And soon we will open connectivity in other districts as well."
Malik claimed that the medium of phone and internet is used less by the people and mostly by terrorists and Pakistanis as well as for mobilisation and indoctrination.
"It is a kind of weapon used against us so we have stopped it. Services will be resumed gradually," he said.
Backing the idea of revoking Article 370 from Jammu and Kahsmir and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories, he said: "Government's decision is for the betterment of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh."
Malik underlined that the government's objective is to work maximum for the people so that in the long term people realize that it was indeed done for their benefit.
"J&K and Ladakh will see so much of development in the coming days that people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will also start asking for the same kind of development," he said
He said that about 50,000 government jobs will be announced soon and 50 more degree colleges will be opened.
However, no reason was given for the development which came on a day when a 15-member delegation of the National Conference from Jammu met their detained party president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah in Srinagar.
"PDP Jammu has decided to defer the scheduled visit of its delegation to Srinagar to meet the party president Mehbooba tomorrow (Monday)," former PDP legislator and spokesperson Firdous Tak told PTI on Sunday night.
He, however, did not give any reason for the sudden decision which came barely hours after the party announced that the state administration has given a permission to a delegation of the party from Jammu to meet the party president and former chief minister.
Sources within the party, however, said the visit has been deferred because of lack of unanimity on the composition of the delegation.
The visit has been deferred following the rift within the party over the composition of the delegation, they said.
Another PDP leader, who did not wish to be named, said the party will meet shortly to decide the new schedule.
"The visit has only been deferred and not cancelled," he said.
Earlier in the day, Tak said the Peoples Democratic Party delegation will be led by General Secretary Ved Mahajan.
The visit, if materialised, would have been the first meeting of PDP leaders from Jammu province with Mufti who was detained on August 5, the day the Centre announced abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
Tak said the PDP had requested Governor Satya Pal Malik to allow a party delegation from Jammu to meet Mufti and "we have been conveyed that the permission has been granted".
The PDP leaders met twice in the day after the restrictions were lifted on party leaders recently and had decided to approach the governor to seek permission to visit the detained leader, the spokesman said.
The NC delegation discussed developments in the state and upcoming local body polls during the separate meetings with the two leaders. The Jammu and Kashmir government had given permission to the delegation to meet the leaders.
Malik held a situation cum Security Review Meeting on Monday with the Advisors and the Chief Secretary. The meeting was also attended by the Principal Secretaries of Planning and Housing & Urban Development Department.
The Governor has been holding Situation cum Security Review Meetings on a daily basis for two hours generally from 6 to 8 p.m. each day since August 5.
Initially, the meetings focussed on reviewing the security scenario following the imposition of restrictions after constitutional changes that were made. For the past six weeks, all the security restrictions were removed in most parts of J&K, the Governor has been focussing on bringing life back to normal.
Some of the major decisions taken in the past in the Situation cum Security Review Meetings include reopening of Higher Secondary Schools; Colleges and Universities; restarting public transport; opening additional travel counters at TRC Srinagar; opening 25 internet kiosks in each district to facilitate the public and Government departments; monitoring attendance in Government offices, etc, a statement from the Governor's office said.
In Monday's meeting the Governor was briefed about the October 24 BDC elections. He was informed that there is active interest in the BDC elections and most of the seats of Chairpersons of BDCs would be filled.
All assistant returning officers and assistant electoral registration officers have been provided mobile phone facility to ensure smooth conduct of elections. Nomination papers were accepted even on Monday.
The Governor was informed that as BDC elections were party based, the delegations of parties whose leaders are in jail are being allowed to meet party presidents once, so that they can take a decision on elections and authorise someone to approve candidates.
The Governor was also briefed about the progress in apple procurement which has crossed 850 tonnes and worth Rs 3.25 crores. Some changes in the rates of apple are being made which will be announced shortly.
The Governor directed that the Home Department's advisory asking tourists to leave the valley be lifted immediately. This will be implemented on October 10, it said.
Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Justice Pradeep Nandrajog administered the oath of office to Malik at Raj Bhavan.
Malik had earlier served as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been bifurcated into two union territories.
Malik, 73, replaced Mridula Sinha who was holding the Goa governor's post since August 2014.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was amongst the prominent dignitaries who attended the swearing-in ceremony.
"I have come from Kashmir which is known to be a very problematic place. I have dealt there successfully and handled all issues. J&K is a peaceful and good place now which is on the path of progress. The leadership there is non- controversial. They are doing their work very well, so I feel that I would be spending time here in much peaceful way.
"People here are good. The CM is talking less but Goa has a name across the world," Malik said on the occasion.
Jammu and Kashmir ceased to be a state from October 31 after the Centre withdrew its special status under Article 370 on August 5 and bifurcated it into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
On Thursday, Radha Krishna Mathur and G C Murmu took oath as the first Lt Governors of the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, respectively.