Srinagar: Omar Abdullah is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, following the victory of his National Conference (NC) party in the recently concluded Assembly elections of the Union Territory. This marks a significant 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 reorganisation of the region into two Union Territories.
The oath-taking ceremony will be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar at 11:30 am, with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administering the oath. Officials have confirmed heightened security around the event, especially given the attendance of several high-profile figures, including VVIPs and members of the INDIA bloc alliance.
Prominent Leaders Attending Swearing-In Ceremony
Key leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Prakash Karat (CPI(M)), Supriya Sule (NCP), Kanimozhi (DMK) and D Raja (CPI(M)), arrived in Srinagar on Monday to attend the event, reported ANI. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) shared a group photo of the arriving dignitaries on social media platform X.
On October 14, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha invited Omar Abdullah to form the next government, following the Centre’s decision to revoke President’s rule in the Union Territory. In his letter to Omar Abdullah, Sinha mentioned that he had received confirmation from Dr. Farooq Abdullah, President of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, that Omar had been unanimously elected as the Leader of the Legislature Party.
Sinha’s letter also acknowledged the support from Congress, CPI(M), AAP, and several Independent MLAs-elect for Omar Abdullah’s leadership. "I am pleased to invite you to form and lead the Government of Jammu and Kashmir," Sinha stated, confirming the swearing-in ceremony details for October 16 at 11:30 am.
Omar Back As CM After Almost 16 Years
This will be Omar Abdullah’s second term as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, with his first term occurring from 2009 to 2014, under an NC-Congress coalition government. His return to the position comes after the NC's resounding victory in the recent elections, where the party won 42 out of 90 seats. The Congress secured an additional six seats, and with the support of five Independent MLAs-elect and an AAP MLA-elect, the coalition holds a strong majority in the 95-member assembly.
The elections were a landmark event for Jammu and Kashmir, and with the revocation of the President’s rule on October 13, the path was cleared for the formation of a new government. A gazette notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed the lifting of President’s rule, setting the stage for the historic swearing-in of Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister.
