Voting begins for Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council elections, first major poll since Article 370 abolishment

Voting has officially commenced for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council elections in Kargil, marking a significant political event as the first major poll to be held in Ladakh since it attained Union Territory (UT) status following the scrapping of Article 370 in August 2019.

A total of 85 candidates are contesting for 26 seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council in Kargil.

To ensure a smooth and transparent election process, mock polls were conducted at the various polling stations. Shrikant Balasaheb Suse, Deputy Commissioner of Kargil, outlined the security measures in place, with a total of 278 polling stations, 114 of which are categorised as hyper-sensitive and 99 as sensitive polling stations.

The electoral battle is poised to be a contest between the BJP and the National Conference-Congress alliance. Traditionally, Kargil has been a stronghold for the National Conference, with the Congress serving as the primary opposition party. However, in a strategic move, these parties have joined forces in a pre-poll alliance to prevent the BJP from gaining influence in the region.

The Hill Development Council elections carry significant political weight as they are seen as a litmus test for the central government's decision to abolish Article 370 and reclassify Ladakh as a Union Territory over four years ago. The move made Ladakh distinct from the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, altering its administrative and political status.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, addressed voters at a campaign rally, urging them to utilise this electoral opportunity to express their acceptance or rejection of the decision made by the NDA government on August 5, 2019. He emphasised the importance of this election as the first opportunity for the people to voice their views on the matter since the significant changes took place.