Dushyant Kumar Gautam was sworn in as the 19th Governor of Sikkim at a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Gangtok on Monday, amid protests over his appointment in connection with the controversy surrounding the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case.

Sikkim High Court Chief Justice A Muhamed Mustaque administered the oath of office and secrecy in the presence of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, members of the Council of Ministers, the Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, High Court judges, Lok Sabha MP, MLAs and other dignitaries.

Following the ceremony, the Chief Minister introduced the newly sworn-in Governor to the Speaker, members of the Council of Ministers, MLAs and other dignitaries. Gautam was subsequently accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour by the Sikkim Armed Police.

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Gautam as Governor of Sikkim on October 12, 2026. He succeeds Om Prakash Mathur as the state's 19th Governor.

His appointment has drawn protests in Sikkim over allegations linked to the Ankita Bhandari murder case. Last week, a group of youths and citizens unaffiliated with any political party staged a peaceful dharna at the District Administrative Centre in Gangtok, opposing his appointment.

The protesters demanded that the Centre defer Gautam's appointment until the ongoing CBI investigation into the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 murder case is completed.