Ladakh : The Ladakh State Election Commission has announced December 4 as the polling date for elections to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC), with the entire electoral process scheduled to conclude by December 8.

State Election Commissioner Sudhanshu Pandey issued the notification under Rule 12 of the LAHDC (Election) Rules, 2026. The elections will cover all eight newly configured districts of the Union Territory: Leh, Kargil, Drass, Zanskar, Sankoo, Sham, Nubra and Changthang.

According to the announced schedule, November 17 is the last date for filing nominations, while scrutiny will take place on November 18. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until November 20. Polling will be conducted on December 4 between 8 AM and 5 PM, followed by the completion of the electoral process on December 8.

The announcement has triggered political opposition across Ladakh, with concerns mounting over the decision to conduct elections during the region’s harsh winter season.

Kargil witnessed a complete shutdown on Tuesday following a protest call by the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which opposed holding the council elections amid extreme sub-zero temperatures.

Several prominent organisations, including the Ladakh Nambardar Association, Ladakh Gompa Association and Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), have also announced a boycott of the elections. The organisations have raised objections to the delimitation exercise that resulted in the creation of 100 constituencies.

Meanwhile, Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa Jan has written to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, seeking the postponement of all local body and council elections until spring 2027.

In his communication, Jan highlighted the challenges posed by temperatures dropping between minus 20°C and minus 25°C, possible road closures due to heavy snowfall and the seasonal migration of residents. He cautioned that conducting polls under such conditions could prevent thousands of eligible voters from exercising their democratic rights.

With protests, boycott calls and demands for postponement gaining momentum, the December 4 election schedule has emerged as a major political flashpoint in Ladakh.