The Jammu and Kashmir government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will expand its Council of Ministers on Tuesday, October 27, with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha scheduled to administer the oath of office and secrecy to the incoming ministers at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at 10:30 am at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium, according to an official invitation issued for the event. The expansion will be the first since the National Conference-led government assumed office in October 2024.
Abdullah met Sinha on Saturday to discuss the expansion and requested a time for the induction of new ministers. The Chief Minister subsequently said the list had been finalised after consultations with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.
He also urged party colleagues and legislators to stop lobbying for ministerial positions, saying the decision had already been taken.
Attention is now focused on the legislators who will join the expanded Cabinet and the changes that may be made to its existing composition. The reshuffle is expected to provide an opportunity to bring in new faces and address regional and political representation within the government.
The current Council of Ministers has been operating with vacant positions since the government took office. The expansion is expected to reshape the distribution of responsibilities within the administration as it enters its third year.
The ceremony comes amid continuing political debate over governance in Jammu and Kashmir, including the functioning of the elected government under the Union Territory framework and the demand for restoration of statehood.
The names of the incoming ministers and the final composition of the Cabinet are expected to become clear ahead of Tuesday’s ceremony.
