Panchayat Poll Preparations Underway as 1,340 Vacancies Filled
Leh, Srinagar: The Ladakh Administration has officially set the stage for Panchayat elections across the Union Territory, with the State Election Commission initiating the preparation and revision of electoral rolls. Announcing the political development, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra emphasized that strengthening grassroots democracy remains a core administrative priority. On the employment front, the administration confirmed that 1,340 of the 1,609 advertised administrative posts have been filled, alongside 314 promotions executed through the Departmental Promotion Committee. Looking ahead, recruitment processes for over 1,200 non-gazetted vacancies, 224 gazetted positions—including 125 Medical Officers—and multiple teaching, lecturer, and police constable roles are set to roll out shortly.
In a significant goodwill gesture following recent public demonstrations, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra announced the withdrawal of cases against 25 individuals identified with limited or no involvement in last year’s protests. “Cases against 25 individuals found to have had limited or no involvement would be withdrawn, with necessary closure proceedings undertaken in accordance with law,” Kundra stated. However, charge sheets against nine individuals with substantiated evidence will proceed through the competent courts. Simultaneously, the administration is coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs to organize a formal Ladakh Sub-Committee meeting in New Delhi by early September to address core regional demands.
In a major relief for local occupants, Lieutenant Governor Ashish Kundra announced a framework to regularise long-pending Nautor land tenancy rights, including unauthorized allotments. Draft rules for the one-time regularisation process will be placed in the public domain for feedback before being implemented via the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs). Under the new provisions, eligible Nautor land utilized for commercial ventures—such as hotels and shops—can undergo title conversion upon payment of prescribed land-use charges. Complementing this, a dedicated portal is being established to streamline online applications for changing agricultural land to permissible non-agricultural uses.
To boost the local economy and foster youth talent, the UT administration extended industrial status to the tourism sector, ensuring registered hotels, guest houses, and homestays are billed at industrial power tariffs. Additionally, a 4% reservation in government jobs for meritorious sports personalities has been instituted to incentivize athletic excellence. Administrative capacities are also being upgraded across Ladakh’s seven districts through the creation of new tehsils from 17 sub-tehsils, alongside continuous enforcement measures to tackle substance abuse.
