Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is scheduled to meet Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhawan in Srinagar at 11 am on Saturday to discuss the proposed expansion of the Union Territory's Council of Ministers, according to media reports.

The meeting is being viewed as an important step towards moving forward with the long-awaited Cabinet expansion, which is likely to take place next week, the reports said.

The proposed expansion is expected to strengthen the ministerial team of the Omar Abdullah-led government and could bring changes to the composition of the Council of Ministers. However, the final decision regarding the timing and details of the exercise is awaited.

Omar Abdullah had earlier indicated that the Cabinet expansion would be undertaken after consultations with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah. The consultations were considered an important part of the decision-making process regarding the proposed changes.

The expansion had been delayed as Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha was away from the Union Territory. His absence had affected the timeline of the proposed exercise, according to the reports.

The scheduled meeting at Lok Bhawan is therefore expected to be significant in determining the next steps towards the Cabinet expansion. If the process moves forward as anticipated, the expansion could take place next week.

Further details regarding the meeting and the likely ministerial changes are awaited.