SRINAGAR: On the call of political parties and religious groups, the Kargil and newly created Sankoo district in Ladakh Union Territory are observed complete shutdown today while candle light march would be taken out in the evening to "save democracy" and protest against hurriedly held delimitation of eight Hill Councils and the Ladakh administration’s reported plan to hold council elections in December, when 20-30 percent of the Union Territory’s population migrate to other areas due to harsh winter.
Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) co chairman Sajjad Kargili said Kargil and Sankoo districts are observing complete shutdown today.
He said the shutdown, which has been called by political parties, religious organisations, traders, transporters, is being observed to protest attempts to weaken democracy in the cold desert.
"The conspiracy is being made to snatch our land from us. And on a regular basis, the administration is issuing orders and notifications without taking people into confidence," Kargili said.
He said people are apprehensive about the delimitation and reduction of seats in the hill councils. "In entire Ladakh from Leh to Kargil, people are showing their resentment and holding press conferences".
The administration recently announced eight Hill Councils in Ladakh after Sankoo was announced as the UT’s eighth district on October 16, 2026.
According to Kargili, the delimitation was carried out without adequately taking people into confidence, resulting in resentment across Ladakh over allocation of seats.
He opposed the proposed plan of LG administration to hold Hill Council elections in December, saying around 20-30 percent of Ladakh’s population including students, elderly people and businesspersons, migrate during winter to other areas.
The panchayat and municipal committee polls in Ladakh will be held on November 21.
"December is an unreasonable and unethical time for holding the elections," Kargili said and urged the administration to reconsider the schedule.
Kargili alleged that the powers of the Hill Councils had been curtailed, leaving them "useless", while the UT administration was seeking to impose its decisions on the councils.
“Ladakh has been in trouble for the past six years as there has been an attack on democracy. In the country, CEC Gyanesh Kumar has been accused of stealing votes but Ladakh is such a place, where democracy and representation has been stolen," he said.
A candle march would also be held today evening, Kargili said, appealing to people to participate in the programme to "save democracy".
"We will continue this struggle for survival of democracy, safeguarding our land, culture and identity," he said.
According to Ladakh MP Haneefa Jan, he had requested the Lieutenant Governor and the State Election Commission not to hold the Hill Council elections in December due to harsh climatic conditions.
"No elections in Ladakh have been held during winter and holding the Hill Council polls in December could deprive a sizeable section of the population of the right to vote," he said.
"If the government wants the democratic setup to be in place, every voter must get an opportunity to vote and elect their representative," Jan said.
The MP also sought a review of the delimitation process, saying areas left out should be given representation and constituencies should be redrawn properly.
"We have called for a shutdown and candle march in Kargil to save democracy because people are being deprived of their right to vote," he said.
Another Kargil leader has warned of agitation if the administration did not reconsider its decisions.
"If the administration does not repeal its orders, we will hit the roads. We do not want a Delhi-like situation and we want Ladakh to remain Ladakh. We do not want a situation like CJP. Nobody is interested in doing protest but if you push us to the walls, we will move towards you," he said.
"The electoral process is our constitutional right, you should not take it away from us. In the delimitation process, when people in all 8 districts are not happy, you should rethink about it and hold exercise afresh," he said and appealed to the State Election Commission to visit Ladakh and undertake the delimitation process afresh after consulting people in the region.