REGULATORY · INDIA
Uttarakhand CM Dhami expands cabinet to constitutional maximum
Change
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expanded the state cabinet on March 20, 2026 by inducting five MLAs and bringing membership to the constitutional maximum of 12 members.
Why it matters
Dhami inducted five MLAs as ministers, raising cabinet strength to 12, the maximum permitted under Uttarakhand's constitutional provisions. The new ministers are Khazan Das, Bharat Singh Chaudhary, Madan Kaushik, Pradeep Batra, and Ram Singh Kaida. The expansion occurred on March 20, 2026 at Lok Bhavan in Dehradun. Cabinet size had previously declined after the April 2023 death of Chandan Ramdas and the later resignation of Prem Chand Agarwal.
Implications
- · No additional ministerial appointments can be made until a cabinet vacancy occurs.
- · Ministerial representation lost through earlier death and resignation has been restored within the statutory 12-member cap.
Who is affected
- · Chief Minister
- · State cabinet ministers
- · State legislators (MLAs)
Source
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