Sacked Indian High Commissioner Harish Dogra, who has been ordered home, was given 10 days to leave the country yesterday, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.
She said his successor, Kadakath Pathrose Ernest, a joint secretary with the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, had arrived in Wellington and was scheduled to present his formal credentials to Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright tomorrow.
The spokeswoman said Mr Dogra, whose diplomatic accreditation was revoked last week after he refused orders from New Delhi to go home, had been given a special 10-day visa to put his affairs in order and go.
Mr Dogra has been resisting demands to go home since March 1 and on Friday turned away a removal van sent to collect his personal possessions from the official residence.
Yesterday Indian media reported Mr Dogra had finally decided to return to India where he is likely to face action for defying the Government.
Mr Dogra was sacked after rejecting a recall order and demanding the resignation of Indian Foreign Secretary Shayam Saran.
The row followed months of controversy about the quality of the High Commission's service and complaints from some sections of the Indian community.
- NZPA
NZ gives sacked Indian diplomat his marching orders
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