5 states get new governors

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday appointed Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, former Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla, and ex-army chief and former Union minister General (retd) VK Singh as new governors of Bihar, Manipur and Mizoram, respectively, a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

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Murmu also President accepted the resignation of Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, the statement said, adding Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati has been appointed as the new Odisha governor. Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has been named the new governor of Kerala.

"The above appointments will take effect from the dates they will assume charge of their respective offices," the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Bhalla, who served as the Union home secretary from August 2019 till August this year, will take over as the governor of Manipur, which has been in the throes of ethnic strife between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 3 last year. The cycle of violence and reprisal attacks has prompted the Centre to deploy more troops and reimpose Afspa in parts of Manipur, where at least 260 people been killed in the ethnic violence.