The Ladakh State Election Commission on Tuesday notified December 4 as the polling date for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections, with the entire electoral exercise scheduled for completion by December 8.
State Election Commissioner Sudhanshu Pandey issued the notification under Rule 12 of the LAHDC (Election) Rules, 2026. The schedule applies across all eight newly configured districts of the Union Territory—comprising Leh, Kargil, Drass, Zanskar, Sankoo, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang.
Nomination filings close on November 17, followed by scrutiny on November 18 and a withdrawal deadline of November 20, with voting set for December 4 from 8 AM to 5 PM. This follows earlier notifications for municipal and panchayat elections scheduled concurrently for November 21–30.
The announcement triggered sharp political backlash across the high-altitude region. Kargil observed a complete shutdown on Tuesday, organised by the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) to protest holding council elections during severe sub-zero winter conditions.
Meanwhile, key organisations—including the Ladakh Nambardar Association, the Ladakh Gompa Association, and the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA)—announced an election boycott, citing grievances over the 100-constituency delimitation process.
Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa Jan wrote to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena urging a postponement of all local and council polls until spring 2027. Jan warned that severe weather (-20°C to -25°C), road blockages, and seasonal electorate migration risk disenfranchising thousands of voters.
