N N Vohra appointed new Governor of Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar, June 11 : President Pratibha Patil has appointed former Union Home Secretary N. N. Vohra as the new Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

He has replaced General (Retired) Srinivas Kumar Sinha whose five-year term ended last week.

Vohra has been the Centre's mediator since 2003 for talks with various groups in Jammu and Kashmir.

A seasoned and veteran bureaucrat, he has occupied a number of high posts in the government, including the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.

Vohra's appointment by the Centre as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir comes at a time when the Assembly election is to be held later this year.

The central government's decision to nominate Vohra, a seasoned bureaucrat, ends the controversy over the appointment of the next incumbent in Srinagar's Raj Bhavan.

There has been speculation whether the Governor should be an ex-military person, a former intelligence officer, or a bureaucrat. . The appointment of an ex-bureaucrat, it is felt, would be a reflection of the improving security situation in the State.

ANI