Apex body calls for unanimous LAHDC poll boycott in Leh

Leh: With 6th general Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) election round the corner, the apex body formed in Ladakh Union Territory Tuesday called for complete poll Boycott stating that it won’t take part in the electoral process.
An apex body of veteran leader’s, people from ruling BJP, religious heads and student’s bodies was formed earlier to demand sixth schedule to protect the regions’ jobs, rights, land, environment, and rich culture and to prevent mass migration.
The combined apex body for people movement, Tuesday unanimously announced the poll Boycott and urged all to together fight for the rights of the region and refrain from the electoral process unless the demand for 6th schedule is met.
In a written statement in which leaders of 12 different political, religious and students bodies have unanimously called for Boycott of the forthcoming 6th LADHC polls scheduled to be held in October next month.
The poll Boycott joint statement was also signed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Leh district president Nawang Sawstan, whose party is currently ruling the region.
The apex body in a joint statement issued here on Tuesday said: “The apex body of people’s movement for sixth schedule for Ladakh, unanimously resolved to boycott the ensuing 6th LADHC Leh election till such time the Constitutional safeguard under 6th schedule on the line of Bodo territorial Council is not extended to Ladakh UT and its people.”
The apex body includes leaders like, Thiksey Khanpo Rinpochey former RS member, Tupstan Chewang former MP, Chering Dorjey former minister, P.T Kunzang president Ladakh Buddhist association, Nawang Samstan district leh BJP president and others.
Pertinently, three political parties that include, BSP, AAP and congress had advised the administration to postpone the 6th general election in view of the border tension and regular spike in Covid cases in Leh.
The demand for 6th schedule in Ladakh took shape almost a year after the region was bifurcated from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and created as separate union territory with people rejoicing with the decision.
Earlier the leaders from different political parties said that the region will immensely suffer in absence of the constitutional safeguard under the 6th schedule and the decision from administration to conduct the LADHC polls was a shock for them despite when the situation isn’t favorable also there will be huge challenges to evoke response.
Former CEC, Rigzin Spalbar, who is also known as top Buddhist leader in the region earlier has also called for poll boycott in view of the demand for the 6th schedule