Satya Pal Malik takes oath as Jammu and Kashmir Governor

In absence of an elected government, Malik’s first big challenge will be to conduct the panchayat polls in the state.

Satya Pal Malik was sworn in as J&K Governor Thursday. He is the first politician to be appointed as the state’s Governor in more than four decades. Senior state politicians, including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, were present at the oath-taking ceremony at Raj Bhawan.

Malik replaced career diplomat N N Vohra, who was given a two-month extension after his second term as Governor ended.

In absence of an elected government, Malik’s first big challenge will be to conduct the panchayat polls in the state. Vohra had announced the polls would be held in the valley in September.

Malik’s immediate challenge, however, is to ensure peace in the valley as the Supreme Court hears the petitions challenging Article 35-A later this month.