> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://newsanek.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ladakh groups stay neutral as local polls near; some seek deferment of hill council vote - URL: https://newsanek.com/ladakh-local-polls-lahdc-elections-deferment-demand/ - Published: 2026-11-09T04:31:31.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-09T05:13:43.000Z - Description: Ladakh is preparing for panchayat and municipal polls on November 21. Two groups leading talks on the region's future have chosen not to back any candidate or party. - Author: Kumar Ujjwal - Tags: India, Ladakh, Explainer, #sub-politics, #state-ladakh, #state-desk, #region-north, #sm-48, #smemo-surprise, #running, #tl-ee08f7 Ladakh is getting ready for local polls on November 21. Two major groups leading the demand for more rights for the Union Territory (UT) have decided to stay neutral. The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are leading the agitation for an elected body at the UT level. They are also seeking constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. Both groups are in dialogue with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The polls are for panchayats and municipal committees across the UT. The entire process is due to finish by November 30. Ladakh local polls: key dates 1. **November 7**MP Mohammad Haneefa Jan writes to LG Vinai Kumar Saxena, asking for the hill council polls to be reconsidered. 2. **November 21**Local panchayat and municipal polls are held across the Union Territory. 3. **November 30**The entire election process is due to finish. Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report Leh has 21 municipal wards and Kargil has 17. ### Key points - The Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance will stay neutral in the local polls. - Panchayat and municipal polls are on November 21, with the process ending by November 30. - A senior Congress leader calls the polls a referendum on Ladakh's future. - Kargil parties and an MP want the separate hill council polls deferred because of winter. ## So why did the two groups choose to stay neutral? LAB chairman Chering Dorjay said the Apex Body is apolitical. So it will not support or oppose any candidate or party. The decision means the groups will not campaign for anyone in these polls. They will keep focusing on their main demands. ## Why is one leader calling this vote a referendum? Rigzin Jora, a senior Ladakh Congress leader and former Union Minister, described the polls as a referendum. He said voters must decide whether they want an elected Assembly or the present bureaucratic setup under the Lieutenant Governor (LG) administration. He also said the vote is about protecting land, identity, environment and ecology. These are the first municipal and panchayat polls in Ladakh since Article 370 was abrogated. ## What about the separate hill council elections? These are different from the panchayat and municipal polls. They are for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC). The reports do not give a date for these elections. Political parties in Kargil have asked for the LAHDC polls to be deferred until spring. They say heavy snow on mountain passes like Zoji La often cuts Kargil off from nearby areas. They also say boundaries and electoral rolls are not settled after the creation of new districts. Mohammad Haneefa Jan, the MP from Ladakh, wrote to LG Vinai Kumar Saxena on November 7\. He asked for the polls to be reconsidered because of snow, freezing temperatures and seasonal migration. The reports do not say whether the administration has agreed to any delay. Explainer ### What happened before - The final electoral rolls for the Leh and Kargil municipal committees were published on October 22. - The notification for the Leh and Kargil municipal committee polls was issued on October 29. ### Why it matters These are the first municipal and panchayat polls in Ladakh since Article 370 was abrogated, so local voters are choosing their bodies in a new setup. ### What to watch next - Polling is on November 21, and the whole process should be completed by November 30. - Kargil parties and an MP have asked the administration to defer the separate hill council polls until spring. --- ### Sources - [The New Indian Express: LAB & KDA to stay neutral as Ladakh gears up for local polls](https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/Nov/09/lab-kda-to-stay-neutral-as-ladakh-gears-up-for-local-polls?ref=newsanek.com) - [Greater Kashmir: MP, political parties seek deferment of LAHDC elections in Ladakh](https://www.greaterkashmir.com/ladakh/mp-political-parties-seek-deferment-of-lahdc-elections-in-ladakh-12794827?ref=newsanek.com)