SRINAGAR: A day after the Ladakh administration imposed a complete ban on protests and demonstrations within the municipal limits of Leh and Kargil, citing the municipal and hill council polls scheduled for November 23 and December 4, respectively, Ladakhi leaders, including Leh Apex Body (LAB) member and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, on Wednesday appealed to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to intervene and defer the elections.The leaders cited harsh winter conditions and the likely exclusion of a large section of the electorate as reasons for postponing the polls.“It is an SOS call from Ladakh to the President, the Prime Minister and the Union home minister. We are sending this message to the people of India as well,” Wangchuk said in a joint appeal.Flanked by Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa, LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakrook and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) co-chairmen Asgar Ali Karbali and Sajjad Kargili, Wangchuk said the administration was forcing elections on people during the harsh winter, when temperatures in some parts of Ladakh fall below minus 30 degrees Celsius.“Ladakh is known as the world’s coldest inhabited place. The weather forecast for December indicates snowfall. How will elections be conducted in such conditions? Half of the population is outside Ladakh, while students are already studying in different cities. When Leh, Kargil and other areas are nearly empty, why are you holding elections?” he asked.“Indian democracy has a great tradition in Ladakh. Earlier, even two voters in Demchok were facilitated through helicopters to ensure their participation. So why is the administration ignoring half of the population now?” Wangchuk said.He appealed to the country’s leadership, including the Opposition, and people across India to pay attention to Ladakh and oppose what he termed an arbitrary decision by the lieutenant governor’s administration.Haneefa said he had met the lieutenant governor of Ladakh and told him that holding elections during winter would deprive a large number of people of their right to vote. However, the administration went ahead and issued the poll notification, he said.Lakrook said holding elections during peak winter was unheard of in Ladakh. He said May or June would be a more suitable time to ensure maximum voter participation.Karbali accused the Lieutenant Governor of imposing decisions on the people of Ladakh. He said the region had traditionally recorded around 90 per cent voter turnout, but the administration was scheduling elections at a time when nearly 30 per cent of the population would be outside the Union Territory.Kargili alleged that the administration was making every effort to defame the LAB and KDA. He termed holding elections in December an infringement of people’s voting rights and a denial of adequate political representation.Earlier in the day, the office of the chief electoral officer issued an order stating that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) had come into force and would remain in effect until the completion of the election process.The order stated that organising political dharnas, protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, rallies or similar collective activities within the municipal limits of Leh and Kargil during the MCC period could intimidate voters, disturb public order and vitiate the atmosphere for free and fair elections.It further stated that, in the interest of ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections to the Municipal Committees of Leh and Kargil, no political party, candidate, worker, supporter or any other person would be allowed to organise, hold or participate in any dharna, protest, demonstration, sit-in, hunger strike, rally or similar form of collective political activity.“All political parties, candidates and their agents [must] strictly adhere to the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and ensure that no activity is undertaken by any political party, candidate, agent or any other individual/organisation that may intimidate, coerce or unduly influence voters in any manner,” the order stated.On Tuesday, the region’s State Election Commission (SEC) announced elections to the eight autonomous hill development councils (LAHDCs) in the Union Territory, with polling scheduled for December 4. The announcement for the Ladakh panchayat and municipal elections had been made earlier, with polling scheduled for November 21.Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra described the LAHDC elections as a watershed moment and a turning point for democracy in the region.“I personally feel that this is a watershed moment for Ladakh and democracy in Ladakh. It’s a turning point. And I think it is a crucial inflection in the larger journey of democracy,” Kundra said at a press conference in Leh after the SEC issued the election notification.Defending the decision to schedule the polls for December 4, the chief secretary said schools in Ladakh remained open until December 15.“If children can go to school during this period, I don’t think there should be any difficulty for adults to come out and vote,” he said.He added that deputy commissioners had been instructed to ensure adequate facilities at polling stations, particularly for elderly voters.“We have assured that all deputy commissioners have been instructed to provide necessary facilities at polling stations. Heaters will also be provided and separate queues will be arranged for elderly voters so that they do not face any inconvenience,” he said.
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