WS/VP Special Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 26 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is likely to take a final call on Monday evening on the resignations submitted by his five cabinet colleagues nearly two weeks ago, a move that will pave the way for the much-awaited expansion of the Council of Ministers, highly placed sources told The Web Story/The Varmul Post.
All five ministers had submitted their resignations to the Chief Minister nearly a fortnight ago, leaving the decision on their continuation in the government to him, they said.
“The Chief Minister is likely to decide today which resignations to accept and which to reject. Those who are to be dropped will have their resignations accepted, while the resignations of ministers who are to continue will be rejected,” sources told The Web Story/The Varmul Post.
The decision is expected to determine the fate of the sitting ministers and pave the way for the induction of new faces into the Omar Abdullah-led government.
The oath-taking ceremony for new ministers has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, at 10 am at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, the sources said.
The Council of Ministers currently comprises six members, including the Chief Minister, leaving three ministerial berths vacant. However, the resignations submitted by the five sitting ministers have given Omar Abdullah the option of reshuffling his existing team alongside filling the vacant positions.
Under Section 53 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the Council of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, cannot exceed 10 per cent of the total membership of the Legislative Assembly. With 90 elected seats, Jammu and Kashmir can have a maximum of nine ministers, including the Chief Minister.
Sources further said the picture regarding the ministers likely to be retained or dropped is expected to become clear following the Chief Minister’s decision on Monday.
The proposed exercise would mark the first major reshuffle and expansion of the Omar Abdullah-led ministry since the government assumed office in October 2024, they added.
