Ladakh Hill Council Results: Counting Of Votes Begins In Kargil's 1st Key Poll Since Article 370 Abrogation

The counting of votes for 26 seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council began on Sunday amid tight security.

Election staff during the 5th LAHDC Kargil elections. ( Image Source :PTI )

The counting of votes has begun for the fifth Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil election on Sunday, in the first key poll that was held in Kargil since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The voting for the same took place on October 4. The poll is witnessing a triangular contest among the National Conference, Congress and the BJP in most of the 26 seats. According to PTI, voter turnout of 77.61 per cent was recorded as out of the total 95,388 voters, 74,026 exercised their right of franchise.

The council has 30 seats and elections were held on 26 seats, while four councillors with voting rights are nominated by the administration.

Visuals of security deployment at a counting center in Kargil ahead of counting of votes for the 5th Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections. pic.twitter.com/UdJm7JPLQP

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 8, 2023

The officials told PTI that the counting started at 8 am on Sunday and all arrangements were in place for the smooth conduct of the counting and the declaration of the results. Tight security arrangements are in place at and around the Government Polytechnic College where the counting of the votes is being held, the officials added, as quoted by PTI.

The council is presently headed by NC’s Feroz Ahmad Khan which completed its five-year term on October 1. The new council will be in place before October 11, the agency stated. NC and Congress had announced a pre-poll alliance but have put up 17 and 22 candidates, respectively. They said the arrangement was restricted to areas where there was tough competition with the BJP.

BJP had fielded 17 candidates this time and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was also in the fray from four seats while 25 independents were also in the contest. In the last polls, BJP had won one seat and later took its tally to three with the joining of two PDP councillors.

278 polling stations were set up for voting and electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used for the first time for the council elections. 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.