Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Apr 26: With term of present Governor, N N Vohra coming to an end on June 25 this year, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has initiated the exercise for filling the coveted post.
Top official sources said, “even as there are strong chances of present incumbent N N Vohra getting another extension, the Government of India had also shortlisted three names in case the former declines to accept the assignment”, adding, “three other names under consideration included that of Deputy National Security Advisor, Nehchal Sandhu; Advisor to Prime Minister, T K A Nair and former Union Home Secretary V K Duggal”.
Sources said, “given the non controversial track of Vohra as Governor of a sensitive State like Jammu and Kashmir and his impressive track record as top bureaucrat of the country, he might emerge as a preferred choice for the gubernatorial post for the second time”, adding, “another important fact is that Mr Vohra enjoys good relations with the present political dispensation in the State”.
N N Vohra, who is actually a Punjab cadre IAS officer and has been the Governor of the State since 2008, is recipient of the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award. He had held several responsible positions under the State and Central Governments (1959-1994).
He is the first civilian Governor of the State in 18 years after Jagmohan and had also served as Principal Secretary to former Prime Minister, I K Gujral in 1997-98. He was also member of the National Security Advisory Board from 1998 to 2001, when the NDA Government was in power. He also headed National Task Force on internal security and had co-chaired the India-European Union Round Table in 2001.
Vohra as head of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has initiated several measures for improving the functioning of the two statutory bodies.
Nehchal Sandhu, a fomer Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief has also good experience of the sensitivities of the border State as he had spent considerable time in tackling militancy in Kashmir valley. On 18 December, 2012, Sandhu was appointed as an Officer on Special Duty in the National Security Council Secretariat. Prior to this, the 1973 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre, served a two-year fixed tenure as the IB chief.
Former Punjab Chief Secretary, T K A Nair is a 1963 batch IAS officer, who has dealt with Kashmir issues first as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and now as Advisor. The senior bureaucrat has also served as Secretary to two former Prime Ministers – I K Gujral and A B Vajpayee.
Vinod Kumar Duggal, former Union Home Secretary is serving as Member, National Disaster Management Authority, Government of India from June 22, 2012 in the rank and status of Union Minister of State. In several assignments during his active service of over 47 years in Government of India, Duggal has been either directly or indirectly involved in framing the policy and executing the programmes and projects pertaining to Disaster Management.
“Most of the former incumbents, who have made it to the Raj Bhavan had good years of experience in security matters”, sources asserted adding, “it had almost become a convention over the past two decades of militancy to appoint experts on security issues as Governors. Former Army Chief General K V Krishna Rao, former RAW Chief Girish C Saxena and Lieutenant General (Retd) S K Sinha were some of the appointees of the State”.
Another important fact is that the term of the present Governor, N N Vohra comes to an end three days before the commencement of the Amarnath Yatra, beginning on June 28.
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