The Executive Committee, headed by Governor Rameshwar Thakur, will in effect function as the State Cabinet till a popular government is elected in the State.

The first meeting of the Executive Committee was held in the imposing Cabinet Hall of Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore on Friday.

The meeting comes two days after the dissolution of the State Assembly Governor Thakur entered the  Hall along with his advisers S Krishna Kumar and P P Prabhu through the sandalwood door, a right usually reserved only for the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues.

Another adviser P K H Tharakan was not present, as he is on leave. The first meeting lasted for nearly two and half hours.

The Executive Committee will meet every Friday, Mr Thakur informed reporters. Meanwhile the three advisers have been alloted the same portfolios that they were assigned when the State was under the first spell of President’s rule in October this year.