Kargil, Sep 8: Two days after the Supreme Court scrapped earlier notification of 5th general elections of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil, Election authority of the UT has issued a fresh election notification fixing October 4h as polling date.
As per the fresh notification, the process for filing of nomination papers for 26-member LAHDC Kargil will start on September 9 while last date for filing nominations has been fixed as September 16. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on September 18 while the candidates can withdraw their papers on September 20. Polling for all 26 seats will be held on October 4 from 8 AM to 4 PM while counting will take place on October 8.
Entire elections process will be completed before October 11. Following the Supreme Court Judgement, Ladakh UT administration has also reserved the “plough” symbol for National Conference party in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil, polls in fresh notification. ” In pursuance to the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court dated 06/09/2023 in Civil Appeal No. 5707 of 2023 (SLP No. 18727 of 2023), the symbol “Plough” is hereby reserved for the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference Party for the ensuing elections to the 5th Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil,” reads the notification. Earlier National Conference candidates were treated as Independent candidates in the Council elections and allotted different symbols and not ‘Plough’ which is symbol of the party in Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the National Conference leadership in Kargil on Friday said that they welcome the Supreme Court verdict wherein the Apex court held that the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference JKNC party is entitled to the plough symbol for the polls.
Addressesing a press conference in Kargil National Conference district president Kargil Haji Hanifa Jan said that they welcome the Supreme Court verdict, adding that this is the victory for the party as well as people of Ladakh. ” We expected the decision in our favour as the High Court had already passed its judgment regarding the allotment of our symbol,” Jan said. He said this is the victory for people of Ladakh who believe in democracy. Former CEC LAHDC Kargil and National Conference leader Feroz Ahmed Khan said that “we had already met the Lieutenant Governor Ladakh and apprised him about the NC party status and other things. “ He said that it was unnecessary from the UT administration to deny us our rights and symbol. Senior NC leader Qamar Ali Akhoon said that they are happy with the Supreme Court verdict. ” We are grateful to the Supreme Court and our legal experts who dismissed the petition filed by the Ladakh administration seeking to restrain the National Conference Party (NC) from fighting the local body elections in Kargil on its registered ‘plough’ symbol . Akhoon said that they expressed gratitude to the party leadership particularly NC vice president Omar Abdullah for constant support and coordination. The leaders demanded a fair Election process for Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil.