Setting the stage for the biggest political battle this year, Ladakh Affairs Department on 8th September announced the dates for Hill Council election in Leh. The announcement of poll dates also brings the model code of conduct in force. The poll will be held on 17th October. 

The results of the election will be declared on 23rd October. As many as 80,811 voters will vote on October 17 to elect the new Hill Council.

This year we have five political parties Congress, BJP, PDP, New Ladakh Movement and NC in the fray.

As per the schedule issued, the nominations can be filed from September 22 and September 29 will be the last date for filing nominations. The scrutiny of nominations will be held on 30 September and the last date for withdrawal of nominations will be October 2.

The state government has designated Deputy Commissioner Leh as the Election Authority for LAHDC (L) polls while Additional Deputy Commissioner Leh has been designated as Election Officer.

Traditionally, we have seen that the competition is always between the congress and the BJP.  This time, especially after some changes over the past years, coupled with the growing aspirations of a young population, there are new parties in the election fray. The outcome could potentially influence the tone and tenor of the old Politics in Ladakh. 

In the previous Hill council election in 2010, Congress wins 21 of 26 seats in Leh, leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party with just four. 

According to the Election Office, Leh has 80,811 voters including both Leh & Nubra, a figure which could increase marginally as electoral rolls are still getting updated.  Leh has 67,757 voters out of which 34,150 are males and 33,607 are females. Nubra has 13,057 voters out of which 6,571 are males & 6,483 are females. We have twenty-six constituencies, Sku Markha Constituency being the smallest constituency in terms of voters which has the lowest number of electors i.e 649. Lower Leh Constituency has the largest number of electors i.e 10,052.

The council came into being with the holding of elections on August 28, 1995. The inaugural meeting of the council was held at Leh on September 3, 1995. The council is composed of 30 councilors of which 26 are directly elected and 4 are nominated members.