SRINAGAR: The government has began the preparations for the swearing-in of the two newly-appointed Lieutenant Governors in Srinagar and Leh, as only a day has left in the dissolution of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. Both will swear-in tomorrow on October 31.
According to a report by India Today, Gita Mittal, Chief Justice of the J&K High Court, will first administer the oath to Radha Krishna Mathur as the first lieutenant governor of Ladakh Union Territory at 7:15 am. Later, she will fly to Srinagar to administer the oath to Girish Chandra Murmu, who will be Jammu and Kashmir’s first lieutenant governor at 12:45 pm.
Mittal will leave for Leh on Wednesday itself. Sources said that a plane will be kept ready so that she can administer an oath on time at both locations, almost back to back. The ceremony will, however, be a somber affair sans any political leader. Sources said that no leader from state or Centre is expected to be part of the ceremony, the report added.
The oath-taking ceremony will be held in a function in Srinagar, the summer capital, despite the fact that by that time the swearing-in ceremony, the Jammu and Kashmir darbar would be moved to winter capital Jammu. Sources told India Today TV that the decision to administer the oath in Srinagar is ‘symbolic’ and is to highlight Kashmir’s integration with the rest of India.
Interestingly, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have not visited Kashmir Valley since the revocation of Article 370, India Today reported.
