Ladakh’s State Election Commission has announced elections to eight autonomous hill development councils on December 4, setting in motion the first such poll schedule covering all eight districts of the Union Territory amid opposition to winter voting and concerns over the timing of the exercise.
Polling for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) will take place from 8am to 5pm, with the election process scheduled to conclude by December 8. November 17 is the last date for filing nominations, scrutiny will be held on November 18 and candidates can withdraw their nominations until 3pm on November 20.
The results of the hill council elections will be announced on December 8 along with the results of the panchayat and municipal elections. The panchayat and municipal polls are scheduled for November 21, according to the election schedule reported by the Times of India.
Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra described the election announcement as a “watershed moment” and a turning point for democracy in the Union Territory. Speaking at a press conference in Leh after the State Election Commission issued the notification, Kundra appealed to political and social leaders in Leh and Kargil to participate in the elections.
The administration has defended the decision to hold the polls in December. Kundra said schools in Ladakh remain open until December 15 and argued that voters should be able to travel to polling stations during the same period. He said deputy commissioners had been instructed to provide adequate facilities, including heaters and separate queues for elderly voters.
The timing has nevertheless triggered opposition in both major parts of Ladakh. Kargil observed a complete shutdown after political groups called for protests against winter polling. Sajjad Kargili, co-chairman of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, said around 25% of the population is outside the region during December and criticised what he described as a continuing flow of orders and notifications from the Union Territory administration.
In Leh, the Leh Apex Body has threatened to begin an agitation within the next few days. Opposition groups have also raised objections to the delimitation exercise. Kundra said some people may have grievances over delimitation but claimed that the administration’s overall feedback indicated satisfaction with the process.
The elections follow the October 20 notification of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2026, by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. The regulation, promulgated by President Droupadi Murmu, paved the way for the creation of LAHDCs in all eight districts, including the newly created Sankoo district.
Ladakh previously had two autonomous hill councils, one each in Leh and Kargil. The newly announced election process will therefore expand the elected council framework across the Union Territory’s district structure. Kundra said the elected councils would have the same powers as the existing LAHDCs and would be responsible for preparing the following year’s budget.
The chief secretary said delaying the elections could cause the councils to lose valuable time in the budget preparation process. He urged political leaders to demonstrate support for democratic institutions by participating in the polls, while the administration continues to prepare facilities for voting in difficult winter conditions.
