Former Union home secretary Anil Baijal was sworn in as the lieutenant governor of Delhi on Saturday. His oath was administered by Chief Justice of Delhi High Court G Rohini. “I am hopeful about working together with the elected government for the betterment of Delhi and the nation,” he said after the swearing-in ceremony, which was attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriw, as well.

He was appointed to the post on December 28 after President Pranab Mukherjee accepted Najeeb Jung’s resignation. Baijal, a 1969 Indian Administrative Service officer, had served as union home secretary in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2004. He was also the secretary general of the Federation of the Indian Airlines before retiring from the post in 2006.

Baijal has held other important posts such as the chief secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, additional secretary in the Information and Broadcast Ministry and vice chairman of the Delhi Development Authority.

Baijal replaces Jung as the 21st lieutenant governor of the Delhi-National Capital Region. In a surprise move, Jung had announced his resignation from the post on December 22, saying he wanted to return to academics. He had stepped down from the post with 18 months left in his tenure.