Local body elections in Jammu and Kashmir are expected to take place at an “appropriate time,” but the State Election Commission in Ladakh has decided to go ahead and conduct Panchayat Polls in the cold desert region from November 21, 2026.
State Election Commissioner Sudhanshu Pandey announced the schedule on Wednesday, with polling fixed for November 21 and the entire process, including results, to be completed by November 30.
Notifications will be issued by the Administrator and the SEC on October 26, nominations close on November 2, scrutiny is set for November 3, and withdrawals are allowed until November 5. The Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect. These will be Ladakh’s first panchayat elections since it became a Union Territory in 2019.
The previous polls were held in November 2018, when the region was part of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The UT currently has 193 Panchayats, 98 in the erstwhile Kargil district and 95 in erstwhile Leh, spread across its eight districts following recent administrative reorganisation.
The announcement coincides with the dissolution of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, and the notification of 100 elected constituencies for eight LAHDCs (Leh 22, Kargil 21, Sankoo 13, Changthang 10, Nubra 9, Sham 9, Zanskar 9 and Drass 7).
This nearly doubles the previous strength under the LAHDC (Amendment) Regulation, 2026, extending elected councils to all districts, including newly created ones. In contrast, Jammu and Kashmir continues to defer panchayat, municipal and District Development Council elections. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has repeatedly stated that the polls will be held at an “appropriate time,” echoing the Centre’s phrasing on statehood restoration. Terms of most local bodies have already expired: municipalities in late 2023, panchayats in January 2024 and DDCs in February 2026.
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma on Thursday accused the National Conference-led government of delaying Panchayat and municipal elections out of fear of defeat, saying the polls would be a litmus test for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s government.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a BJP programme, LoP Sharma said NC is reluctant to allow alternative political representation to emerge in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Abdullah family’s ego, arrogance and unwillingness to conduct Panchayati Raj elections are responsible for the delay. They do not want anyone else to represent the people because they know the National Conference will face a crushing defeat,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ongoing talks between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the representatives of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have been put on the back burner with the announcement of the poll schedule. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who arrived in New Delhi to participate in the next round of talks, accused the Centre of ‘moving away’ from promises made to the people of Ladakh, as Ladakh leaders awaited an invitation for the next round of talks, which was scheduled for October 22.
Earlier, on October 15, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) had rejected the draft proposal presented by the Centre, alleging that the government had backtracked on assurances given during a meeting in May. However, the Union Territory administration on Saturday reiterated that the Centre was “fully committed to finding a political solution at the earliest”.