close_game
close_game

Arif Mohammad Khan sworn in as Governor of poll-bound Bihar

Jan 02, 2025 02:07 PM IST

Arif Mohammad Khan, a former union minister who has held several portfolios ranging from energy to civil aviation, arrived in Patna on December 30

PATNA: Arif Mohammad Khan on Thursday took oath as the 42nd governor of Bihar, succeeding Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar who has gone to Kerala in the same capacity.

Arif Mohammad Khan took oath as the governor of Bihar at an event at Raj Bhavan on Thursday. (HT Photo/Santosh Kumar)
Arif Mohammad Khan took oath as the governor of Bihar at an event at Raj Bhavan on Thursday. (HT Photo/Santosh Kumar)

Patna high court chief justice K Vinod Chandran administered Khan the oath of office at the Raj Bhavan in the presence of chief minister Nitish Kumar, deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, speaker of the assembly Anand Kishor Yadav, legislative council chairman Avadhesh Kumar Singh, leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav and several other dignitaries.

Khan, a former union minister who has held several portfolios ranging from energy to civil aviation, arrived in Patna on December 30 and actively engaged with state activities even before the swearing-in.

Soon after his arrival from Delhi, Nitish Kumar called on Khan at the Raj Bhavan on December 31. Khan also visited Kalyan Bigha to pay tributes to Kumar’s mother on her death anniversary.

Khan also went to meet RJD chief Lalu Prasad and former CM Rabri Devi at the latter’s residence. Prior to that, Tejashwi Yadav also called on Arif Mohammad Khan at the Raj Bhavan.

Earlier in the Congress, Khan was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 from Kanpur, but he quit the party in 1986 due to differences over the passage of Muslim Personal Law Bill. He later joined the Janata Dal, Bahujan Samaj Party and finally the BJP in 2004.

He has been appointed as Bihar governor at a time when the state is heading for assembly elections later this year and Muslims play a key role in one third of the seats.

His major responsibility will be as the chancellor of state universities, which are grappling with delayed academic sessions and controversies, and many of them are awaiting appointments of new VCs.

Khan also had to face serious differences with the Kerala government over the appointment of VCs. He had sought resignation of all the nine VCs after the appointment of VC at the APJ Abdul Kalam University was termed illegal by the Supreme Court.

He also had to face protests over his support for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Later, the Kerala government passed three bills to curtail the powers of the Governor as Chancellor, but Khan did not give them assent.

The Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala even moved the Supreme Court against the Governor, highlighting the Raj Bhavan’s delay in clearing the Bills passed by the Assembly. Khan, however, gave his consent to only one Bill and sent two others to the President.

rec-icon Recommended Topics
Tell us what your First Vote will stand for in a short video & get a chance to be featured on HT’s social media handles. Click here to know more!

Stay updated Bihar Lok Sabha Result and with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Bengaluru. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and more across India . Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.
See More
Tell us what your First Vote will stand for in a short video & get a chance to be featured on HT’s social media handles. Click here to know more!

Stay updated Bihar Lok Sabha Result and with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Bengaluru. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and more across India . Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Sunday, February 09, 2025
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On