Bhubaneswar: Braj Mohan Ram on Sunday took oath as the new Governor of Odisha at a ceremony held at Lok Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, formally assuming charge of the constitutional office.
Odisha High Court Chief Justice Harish Tandon administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ram at 11 am in the newly constructed Abhishek Hall of Lok Bhawan.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, members of the Council of Ministers, MPs, MLAs and senior civil and police officials attended the ceremony. Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy, Deputy Speaker Bhavani Shankar Bhoi and BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Samal were also present.
The armed forces presented a guard of honour to the new Governor before and after the oath-taking ceremony. Security arrangements were strengthened in and around Lok Bhawan for the occasion.
Ram and his wife arrived in Odisha on a special flight on Saturday afternoon. They were received at Bhubaneswar airport by Chief Minister Majhi, Speaker Surama Padhy, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krishna Chandra Patra, Higher Education Minister Suryavansi Suraj, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Director General of Police Vinaytosh Mishra, Secretary to the Governor Ruparoshan Sahu, senior officials and BJP leaders.
Before the swearing-in ceremony, the new Governor visited Puri and had darshan of Lord Jagannath. He also spent some time at Puri Lok Bhawan before proceeding with his official engagements.
Following the oath-taking, Ram formally assumed office as the Governor of Odisha.
