Despite witnessing winter chill, the political temperatures are once again soaring ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council elections (LAHDC) in the region.
On Tuesday, when most parts of the Kargil region witnessed a complete shutdown, demanding that LAHDC elections be deferred, the Ladakh Administration and the State Election Commission initiated the election process in all eight districts of the Union Territory.
As per the schedule announced by the State Election Commission following the issuance of a formal notification by the UT Administration under Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, polling will be held on December 4, 2026, and the entire election process will be completed by December 8. As per the notification, the candidates can file their nomination papers till November 17, 2026. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on November 18, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature has been fixed as November 20.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena, in his capacity as Administrator, has invoked the powers vested under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997, and the relevant rules to set the election process in motion.
In Leh, Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, informed that Panchayat elections and elections to the Leh and Kargil Municipal Councils will be held on November 21, as announced by the respective electoral authorities.
Elections to all eight LAHDCs, covering 100 constituencies across Ladakh, will be held on December 4. Following the creation of eight districts from the erstwhile two districts, the number of LAHDC constituencies has increased from 26 each in Leh and Kargil to 100 for the whole of Ladakh.
The delimitation exercise was undertaken in accordance with the prescribed rules, taking into account population and the existing Panchayat Halqas and Municipal Wards.
Sharing the election figures, the Chief Secretary informed that out of 192 Panchayat Halqas, 55 Sarpanches have been elected unopposed, while elections will be held for the remaining 137 seats.
Similarly, 1186 Panch candidates have been elected unopposed out of 1428. In the Leh Municipal Council, elections will be held in all 21 wards, while four out of 17 wards in the Kargil Municipal Council have elected representatives unopposed.
He also highlighted that, for the first time, 36 out of the 100 LAHDC seats have been reserved for women, marking a significant step towards strengthening women’s representation in grassroots democratic institutions.
Earlier, representatives of various political and religious organisations, trade bodies and civil society groups under the banner of Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on Monday announced the shutdown and a candlelight “Save Democracy” march against the proposed timing of the hill council elections, delimitation irregularities and “erosion of democratic rights” in the Union territory.
Ladakh Lok Sabha member Mohmad Haneefa also shot off a letter to the Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena highlighting that Ladakh’s unique geographical and weather conditions, particularly in Kargil and Leh districts, posed serious challenges to voters during winter.
He pointed out that heavy snowfall, sub-zero temperatures, closure of key roads and frequent disruptions in transport and communication could make it difficult for residents of remote and far-flung areas to reach polling stations. Leh Apex Body chairman Chering Dorjay also demanded postponement of the LAHDC elections till April-May and a review of the delimitation exercise to ensure proper representation of constituencies.
Addressing concerns over the conduct of elections during winter, Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra assured that instructions had been issued to all Deputy Commissioners to ensure adequate facilities at polling stations, including heaters and separate queues for senior citizens. He observed that the timely constitution of the Councils was essential, as the newly elected LAHDCs would have January, February and March available for preparation of the budget for the next financial year.
Concluding his address, the Chief Secretary appealed to the people of Ladakh, particularly the youth, women, senior citizens, religious organisations and government employees, to participate enthusiastically in the forthcoming elections and exercise their democratic right to vote.
He noted that Panchayat elections had not been held for the past three years and described the constitution of eight new District Councils as an important milestone in strengthening democratic institutions in Ladakh.