Despite winter poll protests, Ladakh fixes Dec 4 for 8 Hill Council elections

Ladakh is heading for a major electoral exercise amid growing opposition to the timing of the polls, with the UT administration on Tuesday announcing December 4 as the date for elections to all eight Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs). The announcement came on a day when Kargil and Sankoo observed a shutdown against holding the elections during the harsh winter months.

The shutdown was almost complete in Kargil but Sankoo witnessed a partial response.

The administration headed by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena issued a formal notification calling upon all constituencies across the eight Hill Councils to elect their representatives, setting in motion the process for constituting the expanded autonomous governance structure in Ladakh. The elections will be held under the LAHDC Act, 1997, as amended in 2026, with the entire electoral process scheduled to conclude by December 8.

The formal notification calls upon all constituencies across Ladakh to elect members to the eight Councils. The decision comes despite objections raised by Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) leaders and Ladakh MP Haneefa Jan, who have urged the administration to reconsider the timing, arguing that holding elections in December could effectively deny many residents an opportunity to exercise their franchise.

Haneefa Jan earlier wrote to Lieutenant Governor Saxena, seeking reconsideration and deferment of the LAHDC election in view of the “harsh winter conditions, seasonal migration and the need for a comprehensive revision of electoral rolls”.

The notification states that the elections will be held in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Act, as amended by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2026, and the Rules and Orders made thereunder. The notification has come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

Three Ladakh-based groups, including the influential Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), headed by Chering Dorjay Lakrook have announced boycott of also the upcoming panchayat and urban local body elections in the Union territory, citing the timing of the polls amid harsh winter conditions and seasonal migration.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Nambardar Association, Ladakh Buddhist Association and Ladakh Gonpa Association in Leh, where a proposal moved by the Nambardar Association was unanimously supported.

Chering Dorjay expressed apprehensions on fairness of the polls.

The Union Territory administration recently established eight LAHDCs for Leh, Kargil, Drass, Sankoo, Sham, Changthang, Nubra, and Zanskar. Each consisting of between 7 and 24 elected constituencies (replacing the previous uniform size). Four members per council are to be nominated from women and unrepresented communities to enhance grassroots representation. Ladakh, so far, had only two LAHDCs—one each in Leh and Kargil.

As per the poll schedule, the election process will begin with the filing of nominations and the last date for filing of nominations is November 17, 2026. The scrutiny of nominations will be held on November 18 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 20. The polling for the LAHDC elections will be held on December 4 from 8 am to 5 pm and the entire election process shall be completed by December 8, 2026.