Arizona Tribune - Jammu and Kashmir ministers resign before planned council expansion

Ahead of the expansion of the Jammu and Kashmir council of ministers headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday all the current ministers in the Union Territory resigned.

They have put the council at the disposal of the chief minister so that he can decide on induction and reshuffle. The CM will retain the ministers he wants and forward the resignation of the minister he wants to resign to the Lieutenant governor.

The oath-taking ceremony for the new ministers is scheduled to take place at 10.30 am on Tuesday at Lok Bhawan in Srinagar.

Abdullah along with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, has decided on the new faces to be inducted into the council of ministers. According to sources, senior NC leader Ali Muhammad Sagar, Shamima Firdous both from Srinagar, Mir Saifullah from Kupwara of northern Kashmir and Altaf Kaloo from southern Kashmir are likely to be inducted in the council while Satish Sharma may be dropped from the council.

The chief minister on Saturday called on Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and sought time for swearing in new ministers within reshuffle and expansion in the council of ministers.

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The Abdullah-led council of ministers currently has six members, including the Chief Minister, against the permitted strength of nine, leaving three berths vacant.

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Ch.P.Lewis--AT