Srinagar, Oct 10: The much-awaited expansion of cabinet is likely to take place next week with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expected to return from the national capital to hold consultations with National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Sources in NC said CM after his return to the Valley will hold talks with the party president on the cabinet expansion.
“The meeting will take a final decision on the cabinet expansion,” they said.
Sources said no decision has been yet reached on who would be inducted into the cabinet or whether any changes would be made in the existing leadership.
“Nothing has been decided yet — neither on the number of new ministers nor on any changes in the present setup,” they said.
Three cabinet berths in the Omar Abdullah government are vacant.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the Council of Ministers cannot exceed one-tenth of the 90-member Assembly's strength — capping it at nine.
The present Council has six members — CM 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 Congress is unlikely to join the Omar government as the party has already made it clear that it will not be joining the Government till Jammu and Kashmir is granted Statehood.
The Congress had contested 2024 Assembly elections in alliance with the National Conference but did not join the Government. It still supports the National Conference Government from outside.