Omar Abdullah takes oath as first chief minister of Union territory Jammu and Kashmir

Omar Abdullah was on Wednesday (October 16) sworn in as the first chief minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, marking a significant political milestone following the victory of his National Conference (NC) party in the region's inaugural assembly elections since the abrogation of Article 370. The oath-taking ceremony took place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.

The ceremony was officiated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who administered the oath of office and secrecy to Abdullah and his newly appointed council of ministers. Among those sworn in alongside Abdullah were Sakina Itoo, Javeed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, Javeed Dar, and Satish Sharma.

Security was heightened around the venue as officials prepared for the event, underscoring the importance of this moment in Jammu and Kashmir's political landscape.

This marks the first elected government in the region since the reorganization of the former state into two Union Territories and the abrogation of Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status.

The assembly elections, held in three phases, saw 90 seats contested across the region. The results, announced on October 8, revealed that the NC-Congress alliance secured a total of 48 seats, with the National Conference leading the charge. In contrast, the Congress party won only six seats.