Panchayat polls to be held in Ladakh on Nov. 21; Kargil hill council dissolved

Why in the News

Ladakh is moving from two hill councils, one each for Leh and Kargil, to hill councils in all eight of its districts, and its first panchayat polls since 2018 are set for November 21. The administration has dissolved the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil with immediate effect.

What is the LAHDC-Kargil, and why was it dissolved?

1. What it is: A hill council is an elected body that handles development for a hill district, like an elected district board. Leh and Kargil had separate councils, created in 1995 and 2003.
2. Why it was dissolved: The stated reason is the reorganisation of districts. Ladakh now has eight districts, six of them new additions to Leh and Kargil.
3. What was cut short: The council was elected in 2023 and would have run until 2028.
4. The takeaway: The creation of districts has ended an elected council before its term, and new councils are to be built around the new districts.

What elections have been announced?

1. Panchayat polls: The Ladakh State Election Commission (SEC) proposed general elections across all panchayat circles (halqas) on November 21. Nominations close on November 2.
2. Model Code of Conduct: The Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the rules that bind parties and government during elections, is in force with immediate effect.
3. Constituencies: The administration notified 100 elected constituencies across the eight districts. They will also be the basis for constituting hill councils in all eight districts.
4. Gap since 2018: The last panchayat and municipal elections were held in 2018, when Ladakh was part of Jammu and Kashmir.

Why does the timing matter?

1. Statehood and Sixth Schedule talks: The step comes as the Centre holds talks with Ladakh’s representatives on demands for Statehood and Sixth Schedule status (self-governing tribal councils).
2. Official framing: The Lieutenant Governor called the election announcement “a historic milestone for grassroots democracy in Ladakh”.

Challenges

1. Overlapping tiers: New hill councils, any Union Territory body from the talks and the Lieutenant Governor may compete for the same subjects.
2. Interim gap: Kargil has no elected hill council until new councils are constituted, and no date is stated.
3. Thin finances: Ladakh has a tiny tax base, so councils depend on transfers.
4. Leh and Kargil differ: The two regions differ on representation and on the constitutional outcome they seek.

Way Forward

1. Constitution timetable: Announce a date for constituting the eight hill councils.
2. Fiscal transfer formula: Give each hill council a statutory transfer on a fixed formula.
3. Division of subjects: Divide subjects clearly among the hill councils, any Union Territory body and the Lieutenant Governor.
4. Leh-Kargil formula: Agree a seat and revenue sharing formula between Leh and Kargil.

Conclusion

Ladakh has replaced a two-council structure with a plan for eight councils, and the panchayat polls are the first step. The next milestones are the polls and the constitution of the new hill councils, set against the continuing talks on Statehood and the Sixth Schedule.

Key numbers

1. Elected constituencies by district: Leh 22, Kargil 21, Sankoo 13, Changthang 10, Nubra 9, Sham 9, Zanskar 9 and Drass 7.
2. Sixth Schedule council size: At most 30 members, of whom 26 are elected and 4 nominated by the Governor.
3. LAHDC-Kargil result, 2023: The National Conference-Congress alliance won 24 seats (National Conference 12, Congress 10); the Bharatiya Janata Party won 2 and Independents 2.

Back2Basics: Sixth Schedule

1. What it is: Under Article 244(2), the Sixth Schedule governs tribal areas in four North-Eastern States: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. Ladakh is outside it and seeks inclusion.
2. Councils: It sets up 10 Autonomous District Councils, each elected for a five-year term.
3. Powers: Councils make laws on land, forests, shifting cultivation and customs, and collect land revenue and taxes on professions, vehicles and trades.
4. Funding: Article 275(1) gives these areas special grants-in-aid from the Consolidated Fund of India.

Matching Previous Year Question

“[2011] The Constitution (Seventy-Third Amendment) Act, 1992, which aims at promoting the Panchayati Raj Institutions in the country, provides for which of the following? 1. Constitution of District Planning Committees. 2. State Election Commissions to conduct all Panchayat elections. 3. Establishment of State Finance Commissions. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 ANSWER: (d)”