Kargil Bandh: Complete shutdown observed in region ahead of LAHDC polls; candle march on November 10
PTC News Desk: Kargil in Ladakh is observing a complete shutdown on Tuesday, with markets and business establishments remaining closed. The shutdown was called by several local organisations to protest against the proposed timing of the upcoming Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections and raise other issues.
The shutdown call was announced at a press conference attended by Kargil-based organisations and Ladakh MP Haneefa Jan.
The main demand of these groups is to postpone the LAHDC elections until after winter. They argue that holding elections during the harsh winter months could affect voter turnout.
Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) co-chairman Sajjad Kargili said people in the region wanted the LAHDC elections to be delayed.
Meanwhile, polling for panchayats and municipal committees in Leh and Kargil is scheduled to take place later this month. Three major organisations based in Leh, including the influential Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), have announced a boycott of these elections. They have cited severe winter conditions and large-scale seasonal migration as reasons for their decision.
The Union Territory administration has not yet announced the dates for the LAHDC elections.
In Kargil, the Jamiat Ul Ulama Isna Asharia, an influential religious and social organisation, has also demanded that the LAHDC elections be postponed until April-May 2027. It cited harsh weather conditions and seasonal migration as reasons for the demand.
In a statement, the organisation said holding elections during winter would reduce voter participation. It called for the polls to be held in April-May 2027.
Its president, Nazir Mehdi Mohammadi, who is also a member of the Ladakh Lieutenant Governor's Advisory Council, said the democratic process should be accessible to every eligible voter, regardless of geographical or weather-related difficulties.
He said the current conditions in Ladakh were not suitable for ensuring proper public participation in the elections.
- PTC NEWS
