IMPHAL, Feb 20: Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has decided to operate from the state secretariat in Imphal thrice a week, instead of the usual Raj Bhavan. The governor will use the office that was previously allocated to the Minister of Education, while a separate ministerial office will be designated for his advisers.

The decision comes after President’s Rule was imposed on Manipur on February 13, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. As part of the shift to central rule, the General Administration Department has closed the offices of all ministers at both the old and new secretariats.

Earlier this week, Governor Bhalla chaired a high-level meeting at the Old Secretariat, marking his first major interaction with top civil and security officers since the imposition of President’s Rule. The meeting was attended by the security advisor, the director general of police (DGP), the chief secretary, and other senior officials. During the meeting, Bhalla emphasized the need for all officials to work in a neutral, transparent, and efficient manner, particularly in the current sensitive situation under central rule.

Following the resignation of N Biren Singh on February 9, and the subsequent imposition of President’s Rule, Governor Bhalla has assumed full administrative control over the state. Bhalla, who was sworn in as the 20th Governor of Manipur on January 3, 2025, brings decades of experience as a retired IAS officer from the 1984 batch of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre.