Kiran Bedi takes over as Puducherry LG

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Puduchery, May 29

Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi took over as the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry on Sunday.

Senior judge of the Madras High Court Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh administered the oath of office and secrecy to 66-year-old Bedi at Raj Nivas.

Bedi is the fourth woman Lt Governor of the Union Territory.

 Chief Minister designate V Narayanasamy, former Chief Ministers N Rangasamy, R V Janakiraman and M D R Ramachandran, PCC president A Namassivayam, elected legislators, Member of Lok Sabha Radhakrishnan, N Gokulakrishnan (Rajya Sabha), French Consul General Philippe Janvier Kamiyama and former ministers were among those who witnessed the ceremony.

The position has been lying vacant after Prime Minister Narendra Modi dimissed UPA nominee Virendra Kataria on July 12, 2014, barely a year after he had been appointed. Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island Lt Gen Ajay Singh was given Puducherry’s charge.

Born on June 9, 1949, Bedi, the country's first woman IPS officer, had led the BJP campaign in the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections but drubbed in her maiden political innings with Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP winning 67 of the 70 seats.

An IPS officer of 1972 batch, Bedi had sought voluntary retirement from the service in 2007. She was then made the Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development.

Bedi is a recipient of Ramon Magsaysay Award as well as UN Medal for outstanding service. She was one of the pioneers of anti-corruption movement in 2011 along with Anna Hazare and Kejriwal.

Chandrawathi, Puducherry’s first woman Lt Governor, held office for a short period from February to December 1990. Rajendra Kumari Bajpai was the next woman to hold the position from 1995 to 1998. She was followed by Rajani Rai from 1998 to 2002. — PTI