Omar Abdullah is poised to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir today, following the National Conference’s (NC) victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections in the Union Territory. This marks a historic moment as Omar will become the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which led to the reorganization of the region into two Union Territories.
The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled to take place at 11:30 am at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the oath of office. Security has been heightened around the event, with several VVIPs and leaders from the opposition INDIA bloc expected to attend.
Key figures from the INDIA bloc, including Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, CPI(M)’s Prakash Karat, NCP’s Supriya Sule, DMK’s Kanimozhi, and CPI’s D Raja, arrived in Srinagar to witness the occasion. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) shared images of these dignitaries on social media, reflecting the significance of the event.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had invited Omar Abdullah to form the government on October 14, after President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir was revoked. Omar’s leadership was endorsed by his father and JKNC President, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, and supported by Congress, CPI(M), AAP, and several Independent MLAs-elect.
This will be Omar Abdullah’s second term as Chief Minister, having previously held the position from 2009 to 2014 in an NC-Congress coalition government. His return comes after the NC won 42 out of 90 seats in the recent election, with Congress securing six seats and additional support from five Independent MLAs-elect and one AAP MLA-elect, ensuring a strong coalition majority.
The elections and Omar Abdullah’s upcoming swearing-in symbolize a significant political shift for Jammu and Kashmir, following years of President’s rule.