Leh: The Ladakh administration has attributed the delay in conducting elections for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, to ongoing administrative restructuring and the implementation of recent amendments introducing women’s reservation in the councils.
As per an order issued by the Department of Law and Justice, Deputy Commissioner Romil Singh has been appointed to oversee the functioning of the BJP-led council, whose five-year term expired on October 30, until fresh elections are held and a new council is constituted.
The decision follows the recent unrest in Leh on September 24, when violence erupted during a general strike called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB). The LAB, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been spearheading the agitation demanding statehood for Ladakh and the extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to the Union Territory. The clashes resulted in four deaths and several injuries. A judicial inquiry, led by a Supreme Court judge, has been ordered by the central government to probe the incident.
The last (sixth) general election for LAHDC, Leh, was held on October 26, 2020, with the council’s tenure ending on October 30, 2024.
Citing the ongoing process of creating new districts and the consequent need to redraw council and constituency boundaries, the administration stated that holding elections at this stage would lead to “representational anomalies and administrative inconsistencies.” The order further emphasized the necessity of implementing the LAHDC (Amendment) Act, 1997, which mandates one-third reservation for women in the two hill councils.
“To ensure the effective discharge of functions, the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, shall administer the affairs of LAHDC, Leh, with effect from October 31 until a new council is constituted following fresh elections,” the order read.
On August 25, 2024, the central government approved the creation of five new districts in Ladakh—three in Leh and two in Kargil—in response to long-standing public demands. This would raise the total number of districts in the Union Territory to seven, though the new districts are yet to be officially notified.
Additionally, on December 3, 2024, the Centre announced 33% reservation for women in both the Leh and Kargil Hill Development Councils. The Kargil Hill Council, governed by the National Conference and Congress, was constituted in October 2023 and will complete its term in October 2028.
The municipal and panchayat bodies across Ladakh also completed their tenures between November and December 2023. Both the Leh and Kargil Hill Councils comprise 30 seats each, of which 26 are elected, while four members are nominated by the Union Territory administration.
