Ajay Kumar Bhalla took the oath as the 19th Governor of Manipur in a formal ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Imphal, on Friday. The oath was administered by the Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur, Justice D Krishnakumar. Following the ceremony, Bhalla inspected the guard of honour presented by the Manipur Rifles personnel.

Bhalla, a retired 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, is notably recognized as the longest-serving Union Home Secretary. He completed his five-year tenure in August 2024. President Droupadi Murmu appointed Bhalla as the Governor of Manipur last month, after Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya had been holding the additional charge of the state.

Before the swearing-in, Bhalla arrived in Imphal on Thursday, where he was warmly received at Raj Bhavan by Chief Minister N Biren Singh. His appointment marks the beginning of his new role as the governor of the northeastern state.