SRINAGAR, OCT 22 : The voting for Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh is underway across the distirct in Union Territory of Ladakh and people are casting their votes.
Voting began at 08:00 am in the morning and strengthened security arrangements have been made and sufficient number of officials have been deployed at all the polling stations.
94 candidates are in fray which includes 26 each from BJP and Congress, 19 from Aam Admi Party and 23 independents.
The campaigning for elections to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh ended on Tuesday evening, 48 hours before the first democratic exercise in the region which was carved out of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state and granted Union Territory status last year.
Despite the lurking threat due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaigning saw both the key parties — the BJP and Congress — which are contesting on all the 26 constituencies, making all-out efforts to woo the voters with major focus on the sixth schedule of the constitution.
As many as 89,776 electorate, including 45,025 women voters, would seal the fate of 94 candidates on the polling day on October 22.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also trying its luck for the first time in the region, while none of the regional parties, including the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has joined the electoral battle.
“The campaigning for the LAHDC Leh polls ended peacefully at 4 pm today (Tuesday). There were about four complaints of violation of model code of conduct which were not of grave nature but still appropriate action as per law was taken,” District Development Commissioner, Leh, Sachin Kumar Vaishya said.
Vaishya, who is also the election officer, said the voting will take place from 8 am to 4 pm on October 22 and all the necessary measures have been taken to ensure peaceful polling amid strict adherence of COVID-19 guidelines.
“The main challenge was the shortage of polling staff which has been overcome by deployment of 50 per cent women officials at various polling stations,” the officer said, adding 294 polling stations spread across the district have been set up to facilitate smooth voting. (PTK)
