SC chides Ladakh for election symbol denial

NEW DELHI

The Supreme Court has recently termed the act of the Ladakh administration as “unfair” of not granting the ‘plough’ poll symbol to the National Conference for the forthcoming Ladakh Hill Council elections despite a directive from the high court.
The bench comprising of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah orally observed while hearing the appeal of the Union Territory of Ladakh against the order of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court that, “It is unfair, we will set aside the election schedule if need arises.”
The Union Territory (UT) has lodged an appeal against the order of the High Court mandating the allocation of the ‘plough’ symbol to the concerned party. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who represents the party, conveyed that the closing date for filing nominations was on the 16th of August.
The bench posted the UT administration on Monday as the first item and cautioned it that the court may set aside the poll schedule.
Previously, the National Conference communicated that the apex court refused to suspend the order of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court regarding the concession of the ‘plough’ poll symbol to the party for employment in the Ladakh Hill Council elections.
The Jammu & Kashmir High Court dismissed the plea presented by the Ladakh administration against the ruling of a single bench, which authorised NC candidates to engage in the impending polls for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, under the banner of the party’s symbol.
The administration approached a division bench of the high court, opposing the singular bench’s decision dated August 9, which directed the NC to approach the Election Department of the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh to notify the allocation of the reserved ‘plough’ symbol already assigned for employment in the polls.
The National Conference stated that if the order to allot the party in its symbol is not issued then “contempt order of the High Court will prevail”.
According to a notification published by
the election department on the 5th of August, the election for 26 out of the 30 seats on the LAHDC, Kargil, is scheduled for the 10th of September, counting of votes will take place four days later.