LAHDC-Kargil election results: The National Conference and the Congress together won 22 seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil election, officials said today. The election to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil was the first poll to be held after Ladakh was carved out as a Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.
Twenty-six seats of the council went to polls on October 4.
The administration nominates four members with voting rights to the 30-member council. According to the officials, the National Conference (NC) won 12 seats, making it the single largest party, while its ally Congress registered victory in 10. The BJP won two seats, while two Independent candidates also registered victory, they said.It was the first election in the UT of Ladakh, after it was separated from Jammu and Kashmir on August 05, 2019.
The voting was held on October 4 for 26 seats. The council has 30 seats out of which elections were held on 26 seats, while four councillors with voting rights are nominated by the administration.
The counting started at 8:00 am on Sunday morning. The Election Commission officials made all arrangements for the smooth conduct of the counting of votes and the declaration of the results.
Heavy security arrangements have been made at and around the Government Polytechnic College where the counting of the votes is being held.
The election witnessed a triangular contest among the National Conference (NC), Congress and the BJP. It was the first key poll in Kargil after the abrogation of Article 370 and the creation of Ladakh union territory which was done in 2019.
Earlier, 77.61 per cent voter turnout was reported in the UT as out of the total 95,388 voters, 74,026 exercised their right of franchise.
The existing council headed by National Conference’s Feroz Ahmad Khan completed its five-year term on October 1. The new council will be in place before October 11.
NC-Congress alliance
The NC and Congress had announced a pre-poll alliance but have put up 17 and 22 candidates, respectively. Both parties said the arrangement was restricted to areas where there was a tough contest with the BJP.
BJP fields 17 candidates
The BJP, which won one seat in the last election fielded 17 candidates this time.
25 AAP contenders contest election
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tried its luck from four seats while 25 independents were also in the fray.
Electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used for the first time for the council elections which took place at 278 polling stations across the district.
The elections to LAHDC-Kargil was rescheduled from September 10 to October 4 on the directions of the Supreme Court which took serious note of the UT administration denying the “plough” symbol to NC candidates.
Holding that the NC was entitled to its symbol, the Supreme Court dismissed the Ladakh administration's plea on the issue and also imposed a cost of Rs one lakh on it.
Though the extended campaigning in the district remained a low-key affair, NC vice president and former chief minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah addressed two election rallies at Drass and Kargil.
(With PTI inputs)
