New Delhi/Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir was brought under Governor's rule on Wednesday and the state Assembly put under suspended animation, a day after the PDP-BJP government collapsed with the BJP ending the three-year-old alliance with the regional party.
As Governor N N Vohra held multiple meetings in Srinagar during which security measures were discussed, Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat said the ongoing military operations in the Valley against terrorists would continue as earlier.
Governor's rule in the state is unlikely to have any impact on ongoing military operations, he told reporters in New Delhi.
It is for the fourth time that the sensitive border state was placed under the Central rule in the last one decade- all under the tenure of Vohra, who was made the Governor in June 2008. This is the eighth time in the last four decades that the state was put under Governor's rule.
"The President has approved the imposition of Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect." a Union Home Ministry spokesman said in New Delhi on Wednesday morning.
An official gazette notification issued in Srinagar said Governor Vohra had put Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly under suspended animation. The six-year term of the current Assembly ends in March 2021.
Separately, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Centre wants terrorism to end and peace to prevail in Kashmir.
Vohra had on Tuesday night recommended imposition of Governor's rule in a report sent to the Rashtrapati Bhavan around the time when President Ram Nath Kovind, who is on an overseas trip, was onboard his special aircraft.
The contents of the Governor's report were immediately sent to Suriname where the president was scheduled to land at 6.30 pm (3 am IST).
The president after perusing the report gave his assent, and the same was sent to the Union Home Ministry by 6 am (IST) following which the process of promulgating Governor's rule was prepared and sent to Srinagar.
"Immediately after receiving the President of India's approval, Governor N N Vohra issued the proclamation to impose Governor's rule in the state under Section 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday," a Raj Bhavan spokesman said in Srinagar. After assuming charge as the head of the state administration, Vohra held meetings with top civil administration and police officials at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar.
The Governor held discussions with Chief Secretary B B Vyas and identified the significant tasks which shall require to be dealt with on a strict time-bound basis, beginning Wednesday.
Vohra chaired a meeting of top officials - both from civil administration and police - to gear up the state administrative machinery to function with speed, efficiency and accountability.