Kargil Observes Complete Shutdown Against December Winter Polls Schedule

The Kargil district observed a complete shutdown on Tuesday in protest against the scheduling of elections during the harsh winter months. The shutdown was called by the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), an umbrella body comprising political, religious, and civil society organizations.

In response to the call, shops and business establishments across the district remained closed throughout the day. To further register their protest against the winter election timeline, the alliance also organized a candlelight march in the evening under the banner of “Save Democracy”.

The protests follow the announcement by the State Election Commission (SEC) setting December 4 as the polling date for all Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils. The KDA has strongly opposed holding the polls during winter, pointing out that Ladakh experiences severe cold during this period. Minimum temperatures in the region often drop to between minus 10 and minus 15 degrees Celsius, making travel and outdoor activities extremely difficult and raising concerns over voter and candidate turnout.

Despite the opposition, the election process is moving forward according to the announced schedule. November 17 has been set as the last date for filing nomination papers. The scrutiny of nominations is scheduled to take place on November 18, and candidates will be permitted to withdraw their papers until November 20.

Polling for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils will commence on December 4, and the entire election process is scheduled to conclude by December 8.

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