PREZ APPOINTS GOVERNORS OF 4 STATES INCLUDING TN, UTTARAKHAND

NEW DELHI: President Kovind on Thursday transferred the governors of Tamil Nadu and Nagaland, and appointed one for Uttarakhand. Accepting the resignation of Baby Rani Maurya, President appointed Lt Gen Gurmit Singh, who retired as deputy chief of Army, as Uttarakhand governor. Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit, who held additional charge of Punjab, will now take over the role. RN Ravi will take charge of Tamil Nadu.

NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday transferred the governors of Tamil Nadu and Nagaland and appointed one for Uttarakhand and Punjab, according to a notification issued by his office.

Accepting the resignation of Baby Rani Maurya, the President appointed Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh, who retired as the deputy chief of Army, as governor of Uttarakhand. “The President of India has accepted the resignation of Smt. Baby Rani Maurya as Governor of Uttarakhand. Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd.) is appointed as Governor of Uttarakhand,” a notification from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Maurya resigned on Wednesday, citing personal reasons. She put in her papers two years before completing her term, fuelling speculation that she may take the political plunge in Uttar Pradesh where the assembly elections are slated to be held next year.

A highly-decorated officer, Lt Gen Singh superannuated from the Army in February 2016 after nearly four decades of service, during which he held prestigious appointments of deputy chief of Army Staff, adjutant general and corps commander of strategic XV Corps that overlooks the Line of Control in Kashmir. The notification also said that Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit, who was earlier holding the additional charge of Punjab, will now take over the role permanently. In return, the Centre’s interlocutor in the Naga Peace talks and retired IPS officer R N Ravi, who was overseeing affairs in Nagaland, was transferred to take charge of TN. Assam governor Jagdish Mukhi was assigned the additional responsibility of Nagaland “until regular arrangements are made”.