Ladakh announces first all-district hill council polls on December 4 amid Kargil shutdown

The Union Territory of Ladakh has announced the schedule for its first-ever elections to all eight Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs), with polling set for December 4. The election process will conclude by December 8.

According to the schedule issued by the State Election Commission, the last date for filing nominations is November 17, followed by scrutiny on November 18. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until November 20. The timeline was announced after the UT Administration issued an official notification through Order No. 551-LA(GAD) of 2026 on November 10.

The elections follow the Revenue Department's S.O. 298, which called upon voters across all constituencies of the eight newly formed councils to elect their representatives.

The district reorganisation has expanded the number of LAHDCs in Ladakh to eight, with one council for each district. The councils will have a total of 100 elected seats, nearly double the previous strength of 52.

The seat distribution is as follows: Leh has 22 seats, Kargil 21, Sankoo 13, Changthang 10, Nubra 9, Sham 9, Zanskar 9 and Drass 7. At least one-third of the 100 seats, or 36 seats, are reserved for women. The erstwhile Kargil council was dissolved earlier amid the reorganisation and subsequent resignations.

Kargil observes shutdown over winter election schedule

Meanwhile, Kargil, including Drass, Sankoo and Zanskar, observed a complete shutdown on November 10 over the decision to hold the elections in December. The shutdown brought normal life in the region to a near standstill, with shops, commercial establishments and private offices remaining closed and public transport staying off the roads.

The shutdown was called by the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), along with political parties, religious groups, traders, transporters and civil society organisations. Essential services, including medical facilities, water supply and school buses, were exempted.

Additional police personnel were deployed as a precautionary measure. A candlelight march under the banner of “Save Democracy” was also planned for the evening.

The protesters are demanding that the LAHDC elections be postponed until after winter, preferably to April-May 2027. They argue that harsh winter conditions, sub-zero temperatures and heavy snowfall could disrupt the election process and cut off remote areas by affecting road connectivity.

They have also raised concerns over seasonal migration, claiming that 20-30 per cent of the population, including students, elderly people and businesspersons, moves to warmer regions during this period. According to the protesters, holding elections in winter could prevent a large number of residents from voting and lead to lower turnout.

Delimitation and council powers among other concerns

Apart from the timing of the polls, protesters have raised objections to alleged irregularities and a lack of consultation during the recent delimitation of the 100 constituencies. Objections have reportedly come from several areas, including Umba, Tappa, TSG Block, Drass and Shakar-Chiktan.

The protesters have also expressed concern that the powers of the hill councils have been curtailed and that the administration is taking decisions without adequate consultation with local stakeholders.

Ladakh MP Haji Hanifa Jan has joined KDA leaders in supporting the protest and written to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, urging him to reconsider the election schedule.

KDA co-chairman Sajjad Kargili has described December as an “unreasonable and unethical” time to hold the polls and warned that the agitation would intensify if the schedule is not revised.

Opposition to the winter election schedule has also emerged in Leh, where groups, including the Ladakh Buddhist Association, have signalled a boycott of related local-body polls over concerns about the timing and delimitation.

Despite the shutdown and protests, the administration and the State Election Commission have proceeded with the December 4 polling schedule.