Officials said all arrangements were in place and hoped for a peaceful ballot (Representation)
Leh:
The Ladakh administration on Thursday announced a public holiday due to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections in Leh district, a senior official said.
“It is ordered that a public holiday be observed within the boundaries of Leh district due to the 6th LAHDC election on the polling date, set for October 22,” Commissioner-Secretary, General Administration Department, Ladakh , Ajeet Kumar Sahu said in an order Wednesday.
He said that a public holiday under section 25 of the Trading Instruments Act 1881 will be observed within the boundaries of Leh District on the date of the poll.
Occasional special leave will be granted to employees, who have to travel to other regions to exercise their right to vote, for which they will show proof of voting upon return, Sahu said.
Thursday’s poll will also be declared a public holiday for anyone employed in any business, commerce, industrial or any other establishment entitled to vote, the senior official said.
He said daily wage workers and casual workers will also be entitled to vacation and wages on election day.
The stage is set for the 6th election of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) -Leh because all arrangements have been put in place for the first democratic exercise after the granting of Union territory status to the region last year.
An electorate of 89,776, including 45,025 women, can vote at 294 polling stations in 26 constituencies across Leh District to seal the fate of 94 candidates, including 26 each from the BJP and Congress.
Election officials said all arrangements were in place and hoped for a peaceful ballot on Thursday with arrangements including the necessary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
He said that the polling stations as well as the security personnel have reached the designated polling stations for the proper conduct of the ballot which will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Besides the Congress and the BJP, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) is also trying its luck for the first time by presenting 19 candidates, while the others are 23 independent candidates.
Regional parties, including the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have chosen to stay away from the elections.
The counting of the votes will take place on October 26 and the voting process is expected to be completed by October 30. LAHDC-Leh has a total of 30 seats and four councilors are appointed by the government.
Since the formation of the Hill Council in 1995, Congress has swept the ballot boxes three times, while the Ladakh Union Territorial Front won the elections in 2005. The BJP wrested control of the council from Congress for the first time. times in the last election by winning 18 votes. of 26 seats.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
