Ajay Kumar Bhalla IAS (Retd.) | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Governor of Manipur | |
| Assumed office 3 January 2025 | |
| President | Droupadi Murmu |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Chief Minister | N. Biren Singh (until 13 February 2025) President's rule (13 February 2025–present) |
| Preceded by | Lakshman Prasad Acharya(additional charge) |
| Governor of Nagaland | |
Additional Charge | |
| Assumed office 25 August 2025 | |
| Chief Minister | Neiphiu Rio |
| Preceded by | La. Ganesan |
| Home Secretary of India | |
| In office 22 August 2019 – 22 August 2024 | |
| Appointed by | Appointments Committee of the Cabinet |
| Preceded by | Rajiv Gauba |
| Succeeded by | Govind Mohan[1] |
| Secretary,Ministry of Power,Government of India | |
| In office July 2017 – July 2019 | |
| Preceded by | P. K. Pujari |
| Succeeded by | Subhash Chandra Garg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1960-11-26)26 November 1960 (age 64)[2] |
| Alma mater | University of Delhi,University of Queensland |
| Occupation | Retired Civil servant |
Ajay Kumar Bhalla (born 26 November 1960) is a retired Indian bureaucrat andIAS officer of 1984 batch who is currently serving as the 19thGovernor of Manipur from January 2025. He is also acting asGovernor of Nagaland as additional charge from August 2025. He previously served as theHome secretary of India having assumed the office on 23 August 2019, succeedingRajiv Gauba.[3][4] from Assam Meghalaya cadre. He served asHome Secretary of India for around five years there till 22 August 2024.[5] He hails fromJalandhar,Punjab,India.
In December 2024 Bhalla was appointed asManipur Governor. In August 2025 he was also given with the additional charge of Nagaland Governor.
Ajay Kumar Bhalla was born on 26 November 1960 inJalandhar,Punjab,India. Before pursuing higher studies, he completed his early education inPunjab. Bhalla obtained his Master of Science degree inbotany from theUniversity of Delhi. He further enhanced his academic qualifications by earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from theUniversity of Queensland inBrisbane,Australia. He received his M.Phil. degree in Social Sciences fromPanjab University.[6]
Bhalla is a 1984-batchIndian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre.[7]
Bhalla was appointed as the Union Home Secretary on 22 August 2019.[8] His tenure has been marked by several significant events and challenges:
Bhalla's tenure asHome Secretary has been extended multiple times, with his fourth extension in August 2023 set to keep him in office till 22 August 2024. This made him only the secondUnion home secretary to complete five years in office and thereafter, he retired.[9]
Prior to his appointment as Home Secretary, Bhalla held several key positions in the Indian government:
Bhalla has been the Governor of Manipur since January 2025. Under his gubernatorial post,President's rule was imposed on the state for the 11th time. Since then, he has been in charge of administrative and other security-related decisions.
On 25 December 2024, PresidentDroupadi Murmu notified Bhalla as the newGovernor of Manipur relieving Assam GovernorLakshman Acharya who was holding additional charge of Manipur since July 2024. The appointment was significant as it came amidst the then ongoing2023–2025 Manipur violence.[11] Following this, on 3 January 2025, Bhalla was sworn in as the 19thGovernor of Manipur by the thenManipur High Court Chief JusticeD. Krishnakumar in Imphal.[12]
The following day, Bhalla held a unified command meeting for security review which was attended by the Security Adviser Kuldiep Singh and Director-General of Police Rajiv Singh among others. Manipur Chief MinisterN. Biren Singh did not attend the meeting. During the meeting, Bhalla suggested that the state police charges miscreants withNational Security Act 1980 to bring peace in the state. The act provides detention for a year without trail. Bhalla asked the security agencies to prepare dossiers of key suspects who were fuelling violence in Manipur and initiate action against them. TheCentral Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and theBorder Security Force (BSF) flagged ceasefire violations by the Pambei faction of theUnited National Liberation Front (UNLF). Bhalla also discussed employment opportunities for the state's youth.[13]
On 13 February 2025, President's rule was imposed on Manipur four days after the Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned after meeting then India's Home MinisterAmit Shah. In addition, the state assembly was put under animated suspension after receiving a report from Bhalla. Thereby, Bhalla was handed over administrative and other security-related decisions. Previously, theSupreme Court of India had noted called the ensuing violence in the state as the "absolute breakdown of constitutional machinery". This marked the 11th time that President's rule has been imposed on the state.[14]
On the occasion of commemoratingKargil Vijay Diwas, Bhalla claimed that peace and normalcy was returning to Manipur in July 2025. For this, multiple checkpoints have been strategically established across the districts on its National Highways to ensure essential supplies of food and medicines. In addition, community outreach to dismantle armed networks and curb extortion was also in place.[15] In September 2025, he announced that a three-phase resettlement plan for those displaced by the conflict is underway with increased security personnels deployed and Quick Reaction Team (QRT) of the Indian Army stationed.[16] Nevertheless, he recommended extension of theArmed Forces (Special Powers) Act across the state for another six months a few days later with the exception of the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five districts.[17]
On 13 September 2025, addressing a public meeting atChurachandpur, Bhalla urged its people not to allow settlements of people from 'beyond the borders' and asserted that steps are being undertaken to stop the migration fromMyanmar amidst itsconflict.[16] On 18 September, while under Bhalla's administration, the state's Land Resources Department issued a government notification that laid guidelines for the procedure for sale, purchase and registration of land within the state.[18] The notification required land purchases to require permission of the Deputy Commissioner of the respective districts who will verify the application and forward it to the said Department. An internal committee will further scrutinise the application and present them to a panel for final recommendations. In addition, land transactions above ₹200,000 must be completed through bank clearance. The directive was issued under the Manipur Regulation of Sale Deed Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2023.[19]
Several tribal organisations including theKuki Inpi Manipur,[18]United Naga Council,[20] and Tribal Youth Council Manipur,[21] urged the governor to withdraw the notification claiming that it contravenes constitutional protection of tribal land under Article 371C of the Indian Constitution. This vested all land related matters in the hill areas to the tribal communities according to their customary law practices.[19]
Following the death of thenGovernor of NagalandLa. Ganesan on 15 August 2025, Bhalla was given the additional charge of the state the following day.[22] He was sworn in as the 22nd Governor of Nagaland on 25 August 2025 by the then Chief Justice of theGauhati High CourtAshutosh Kumar. Five of the 17 major tribes of the state–Ao, Angami, Lotha, Rengma, and Sümi–did not participate in the ceremony in protest of the four-decade-old job reservation policy for backward tribes in the state.[23]
In September 2025, Bhalla was inducted as the chief patron of the Nagaland Bharat Scouts and Guides in Kohima.[24]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lakshman Acharya Additional Charge | Governor of Manipur 3 January 2025 - Present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Governor of Nagaland 16 August 2025 - Present Additional Charge | Incumbent |
