SRINAGAR: Amid deadlock in talks between Ladakh’s leadership and MHA, the State Election Commission (SEC) of Ladakh on Wednesday announced holding panchayat polls in the cold desert on November 21 while the UT administration dissolved the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, the only elected body in the Union Territory.
According to State Election Commissioner Ladakh Sudhanshu Pandey, the decision to hold fresh elections was necessitated as the last general elections to Panchayat Halqas in UT was held in November 2018 and new bodies are required to be constituted.
As per election schedule issued by SEC, the notification for elections will be issued by the Administrator and the SEC on October 26. The last date for filing of nominations is November 2 while scrutiny of papers will take place on November 3.
The candidates can withdraw their nominations upto November 5 while polling will be held on November 21.
The entire election process is scheduled to be completed by November 30.
It will be first panchayat polls in Ladakh after abrogation of Article 370 and the downgrading and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K state into two UTs.
As per the SEC, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into force with immediate effect and must be followed by all concerned
The SEC has directed all public servants to remain absolutely impartial during the elections and strictly refrain from indulging in any campaign activity for or against any contesting candidate or political party.
It has prohibited the use of places of worship for election propaganda and the use of public or private property for pasting posters without written permission.
Meanwhile, LG administration today ordered dissolution and de-constitution of LAHDC Kargil, with immediate effect, in view of reorganisation of the administrative framework of the Union Territory and the creation of new districts.
The LAHDC Kargil was the only elected body surviving in the UT.
“The dissolution order takes into consideration the resignation of Chief Executive Councillor, three Executive Councillors and six other Councillors of LAHDC Kargil on October 20, 2026. It also takes into account the reorganisation of the territorial boundaries of the erstwhile Kargil district following the creation of new districts, including Drass, Zanskar and Sankoo,” the official spokesman said.
All the powers, duties and functions previously exercised by erstwhile LAHDC Kargil shall be vested in and administered by Deputy Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Kargil, on an interim basis.
“The interim arrangement shall remain in force until separate Autonomous Hill Development Councils are fully constituted in accordance with the provisions of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997, and the rules framed thereunder, as amended from time to time,” the official spokesman said.
Meanwhile LG Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena today officially notified 100 constituencies for eight hill councils in Ladakh.
“This almost doubles the number of councillors from the existing 52 to 100, across our newly structured councils – Leh: 22, Kargil: 21, Sankoo: 13, Changthang: 10, Nubra, Sham & Zanskar: 9 each and Drass: 7,” LG said.
He said this is a rational and fair apportionment that uses panchayat halqas and municipal wards as foundational units, giving due weight to both elector population and geographical area.
Saxena had yesterday notified Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2026 with effect from October 19, paving way for creation of autonomous hill councils in all eight districts of the UT.
The leaders of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which are spearheading agitation for constitutional safeguards and UT-level elected body, have opposed the amendment to LAHDC Act alleging that hill councils powers have been curtailed and UT administration’s control strengthened.