SRINAGAR
The UT administration of Ladakh has rescheduled elections for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil, after the Supreme Court judgment which not only slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the administration, but also gave plough as an election symbol to the National Conference candidates. Earlier, the UT administration of Ladakh had issued a notification by virtue of which voting was slated to be held from 10 September and counting on 14 September. After the SC verdict, the UT administration of Ladakh was forced to cancel the election process for the LAHDC Kargil and issued a fresh notification fixing 4 October as a new election date for these elections.
Elections are going to be held for the 26-member LAHDC Kargil and the four members with voting right would be nominated by the UT administration Ladakh.
It is in place to mention that the Supreme Court in its verdict has directed that a fresh notification should be issued for holding of elections for LAHDC Kargil and allotted plough symbol to the National Conference candidates, as earlier the UT administration had refused to allow them to fight the election on this symbol.
National Conference and Congress have already announced a post-poll alliance for the elections of LAHDC Kargil and are contesting 22 seats each for the 26 member strong LAHDC Kargil. In the 2018 election, National Conference had won 10 seats and Congress 8, while Feroz Khan from National Conference was Chief Executive Counsellor (CEC) of the LAHDC Kargil. National Conference and Congress are hopeful that they will rule the LAHDC Kargil as the BJP is going to contest on 17 seats in these elections.
In the UT of Ladakh, there has been a lot of unrest and protests against the central government and BJP for clipping the powers of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils in Leh and Kargil. People of Ladakh are not happy with UT status and without legislature and have been demanding statehood for Ladakh with legislature.