SRINAGAR: In the first cabinet expansion of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government, four NC MLAs were inducted into the Council of Ministers on Tuesday and administered the oath of office and secrecy by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
The four NC MLAs — Ali Mohammad Sagar, Shameema Firdous, Mir Saifullah and Altaf Ahmad Kalloo — took the oath at Lok Bhawan in Srinagar.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with senior NC leaders, attended the swearing-in ceremony.
The expansion marks the first reshuffle of the Omar Abdullah-led government, which assumed office in October 2024.
The government had six ministers, including the Chief Minister, while three cabinet positions had remained vacant for over two years.
Of the four newly inducted ministers, Sagar and Shameema represent the Khanyar and Habba Kadal constituencies in Srinagar, respectively. Saifullah represents Trehgam, while Kalloo is the MLA from Pahalgam.
As part of the cabinet expansion, one of the serving ministers has been dropped to accommodate the new appointments and ensure that the government adheres to the prescribed limit on the size of the Council of Ministers.
The cabinet expansion and the dropping of a minister have necessitated a reshuffle of portfolios by the Chief Minister.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the Council of Ministers cannot exceed 10 per cent of the Assembly’s total strength. With 90 members in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, the Council of Ministers can have a maximum of nine members, including the Chief Minister.