Srinagar, Oct 7: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said administrative changes have been carried out after a lot of thought and indicated that the much-anticipated cabinet expansion would follow consultations with National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah.
Speaking to media as per news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) CM Omar said the exercise would be taken up after the GST Council meeting in Delhi.
He said the assembly session has been completed. We could have done it in a few days. But tomorrow the GST Council meeting is in Delhi. So we will complete it and then we will consult with Dr Farooq Abdullah party president and we will do what we have to do, he said.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the council of ministers cannot exceed one-tenth of the 90-member Legislative Assembly, capping its strength at nine. The current council has six members — Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary and ministers Sakeena Masood (Itoo), Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma — leaving three vacancies.
The expansion has been pending for months, with the Chief Minister earlier indicating timelines that were deferred to allow sitting ministers to defend their departments during the Autumn Session, which concluded on September 30.
Notably, The delay in the cabinet expansion has drawn criticism from within the National Conference, with some legislators expressing dissatisfaction over the performance of certain ministers and the burden of multiple portfolios, while the opposition BJP has taunted the government over the postponement. (KNS)
