Arif Mohammad Khan Appointed Bihar Governor, Rajendra Arlekar Heads to Kerala

Patna/ New Delhi: Arif Mohammad Khan, previously the Governor of Kerala, has been appointed as the new Governor of Bihar, according to a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan. He succeeds Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who has been reassigned as the Governor of Kerala.

Born on 18 November 1951 in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, Khan holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Aligarh Muslim University and a Bachelor of Laws from Lucknow University. His political career began as a student leader, serving as General Secretary and later President of the Aligarh Muslim University Students Union in the early 1970s. He was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1977 and subsequently served multiple terms in the Lok Sabha, representing constituencies such as Kanpur and Bahraich. During his tenure in the Union Cabinet, Khan held portfolios including Energy and Civil Aviation between 1989 and 1990.

Khan’s tenure as the Governor of Kerala, which commenced on September 6, 2019, was marked by several controversies, particularly due to his clashes with the CPI(M)-led state government. His appointment as the Governor of Bihar comes ahead of the state’s upcoming elections next year.

In addition to Khan’s reassignment, the President has made several other key reshuffles. Ajay Kumar Bhalla, former Union Home Secretary, has been appointed as the Governor of Manipur, a state that has recently experienced significant unrest.

Furthermore, Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati has been appointed as the new Governor of Odisha, following the resignation of Raghubar Das.

These appointments will take effect from the dates the appointees assume charge of their respective offices.