- Major constitutional appointments announced as Centre reshuffles Governors and LGs nationwide
JAMMU, Mar 5: In a significant round of constitutional appointments, President of India Droupadi Murmu has ordered a major reshuffle of Governors and Lieutenant Governors across several States and Union Territories. Among the prominent changes, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Kavinder Gupta has been appointed as the new Governor of Himachal Pradesh, while Vinai Kumar Saxena, who was serving as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, has been named as the new Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
Kavinder Gupta, a senior political leader from Jammu and Kashmir and former Deputy Chief Minister of the erstwhile State, assumed charge as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh on July 18, 2025 after being appointed on July 14. His tenure in the Union Territory lasted around seven and a half months before his elevation to the gubernatorial position in Himachal Pradesh. Gupta will succeed Shiv Pratap Shukla, who has now been assigned a new role as Governor of Telangana.
Gupta’s political career in Jammu and Kashmir has been marked by several significant positions. He served as Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and later as Deputy Chief Minister during the PDP-BJP coalition government between 2015 and 2018. The coalition government was initially led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and later by Mehbooba Mufti.
Soon after the announcement of his new appointment, Kavinder Gupta expressed gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for entrusting him with the responsibility of serving as Governor of Himachal Pradesh. Describing the appointment as both an honour and a responsibility, Gupta said he would discharge his constitutional duties with dedication, commitment and impartiality. He also acknowledged the guidance he received from the Prime Minister during his tenure as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
With Gupta’s elevation, Vinai Kumar Saxena has been appointed as the fourth Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh. Saxena, aged 68, previously served as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi since 2022 and has a background as a business executive and administrator. His appointment comes at a crucial time when Ladakh continues to witness political dialogue and public mobilization around issues related to governance and constitutional safeguards.
Saxena will succeed Kavinder Gupta and will take charge of Ladakh at a time when the Union Territory is witnessing a prolonged political movement led jointly by the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance. The two organisations have been advocating key constitutional and political demands including the grant of Sixth Schedule status and statehood for Ladakh. Addressing these concerns through dialogue and consultation with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to be among Saxena’s immediate priorities.
The last meeting of the High Powered Committee constituted to address Ladakh-related issues was held in New Delhi on February 4 and was chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai. The committee has been engaging with stakeholders from Ladakh to explore possible solutions to their demands.
In the wider reshuffle announced by the President, Lieutenant General (Retired) Syed Ata Hasnain has been appointed as the Governor of Bihar. Hasnain, a distinguished former officer of the Indian Army, earlier served as the General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps and held several important military assignments during his service in Jammu and Kashmir.
The reshuffle also included changes in several other states. Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has been appointed as the new Governor of West Bengal, succeeding C V Ananda Bose who resigned earlier in the day. President Murmu has accepted Bose’s resignation.
In the interim arrangement, Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar will discharge the responsibilities of the Governor of Tamil Nadu until further orders.
In another key development, former Indian diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed as the new Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. Sandhu, who earlier served as India’s Ambassador to the United States, brings significant diplomatic and administrative experience to the role.
Additionally, Shiv Pratap Shukla has been shifted from Himachal Pradesh to serve as Governor of Telangana. Jishnu Dev Varma, who was earlier holding the Telangana gubernatorial office, has been appointed as Governor of Maharashtra.
The President has also appointed Nand Kishore Yadav as the new Governor of Nagaland.
The extensive reshuffle reflects a broad administrative reorganisation of constitutional positions across several States and Union Territories, bringing new leadership to Raj Bhavans and Union Territory administrations at a time when many regions are dealing with evolving political, administrative and developmental challenges.