Thiruvananthapuram: Former Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam, 65, was sworn-in as the 23rd Governor of Kerala at the Raj Bhavan at 9 a.m. on Friday.
Acting Chief Justice of Kerala High Court, Justice Ashok Bhushan, administered the oath of office to him.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his council of ministers attended the ceremony, but Opposition Leader V.S Achuthanandan and other LDF leaders abstained.
Mr Achuthanandan maintained that he did not get the invitation. Sathasivam’s wife, Saraswathy was also present at the function.
Sathasivam is the first former CJI to be appointed to the gubernatorial post. So far 40 CJIs have retired from the Supreme Court.
His posting had kicked up a controversy over the propriety of a former CJI holding the Governor’s post.
BJP spokesperson V. V. Rajesh told mediapersons that it was unfortunate that politicians were trying to rake up a controversy even after Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala had asked everyone to stop the allegations and work unitedly.
