Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar to brief him on an upcoming cabinet expansion and reshuffle slated for next week. Under the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the cabinet is permitted a maximum of nine ministers, including the chief minister, which leaves three vacant berths in addition to current positions. During the meeting, Abdullah discussed scheduling the swearing-in ceremony while working to balance regional representation and maintain political stability within his administration.
Addressing party members ahead of the expansion, Abdullah confirmed that consultations with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah had concluded and the final list of ministers had been settled. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has voiced criticism, claiming that the restructuring faced delays due to internal apprehensions regarding party cohesion and potential strife within the ruling setup.