SRI NAGAR: The new Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Chief Justice of the J&K High Court will be sworn-in on October 31 in Srinagar.
Earlier, it was speculated that the ceremony may happen in Jammu, as the seat of governance would shift to the winter capital on October 25 — six days before the bifurcation of J&K into two UTs. However, government spokesman Rohit Kansal clarified that both the events will take place in Srinagar.
Their sequence could be as follows: Since J&K High Court Chief Justice Geeta Mittal had taken her oath under the state’s constitution when she first assumed charge in August last year, its validity will end on October 31. So, Governor Satya Pal Malik may administer a fresh oath of office to her under the Indian Constitution, a legal expert opined. Thereafter, she can administer the oath of office to the Lt Governor, which could be Malik himself.
Sources said Malik is the frontrunner for the posts of Lt Governor for both J&K and Ladakh. The Prime Minister’s Office is expected to issue a notification in this regard within the next few days. On August 5, the Centre ended the state’s special status and bifurcated it into two UTs – J&K (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature). The new arrangement will come into effect from October 31 midnight.
Internet and prepaid mobile services are yet to be restored in Kashmir.