by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
special report
Malik to Continue as J&K LG
Prakash Mishra may be new LG of Ladakh
State to be Bifurcated on October 31 as UTs
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Oct 11
The Modi government has set the ball rolling for the appointment of new Lieutenant Governor of the newly carved out Union Territory of Ladakh. While it has been decided that Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik will continue to hold the fort in Srinagar after October 31, there will be a new LG for Ladakh. It is learnt that Satya Pal Malik will be re-designated as Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of J&K as per the J&K Reorganisation Act and he has no hesitation is continuing there. But Ladakh UT will have new LG soon.
If reports are to be believed, former CRPF Director General Prakash Mishra is the front runner for the Ladakh UT. He belongs to the Odisha cadre of the IPS and had a running battle with the Naveen Patnaik government. He was removed as DGP following which he was inducted as special secretary (Internal Security) in the Union Home Ministry by the Modi government. Later, he was posted as DG, CRPF. The 1977 cadre IPS officer later joined the BJP after retirement.
It is learnt that Prime Minister Modi is keen to induct only bureaucrats and top police officers in Union Territories. There are five union Territorires and all of them have retired IAS or IPS officers barring Dadra, Nagar & Haveli where Praful Khoda Patel was appointed. He was Minister of State for Home Affairs in Gujrat. Otherwise, Kiran Bedi (Pudduchery), D K Joshi (A&N), Farooq Khan (Lakshadweep) and Anil Baijal (Delhi) belong to regular services. IN chandigarh, V P Singh Badnore is the Administrator by virtue of his being the Governor of Punjab.
Sources say, that Prakash Mishra fits into the government's scheme as he was an outstanding officer and Ladakh needs an experienced hand.
However, a final decision will be taken within the next two weeks. Currently, the Union Home Ministry is busy bifurcating the IAS, IPS cadres between the UTs of J&K and Ladakh and work is going on at a faster pace in North Block.
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