The Supreme Court has allowed the National Conference to contest the upcoming elections in Kargil on its reserved party symbol and directed a fresh poll notification to be issued within a week. The court criticized the Ladakh administration for not allotting the symbol despite a favorable order from the high court. The NC was denied permission to contest on its reserved symbol as it is not a recognized state party in Ladakh. The court imposed a cost of ₹1 lakh on the Ladakh administration and stated that elections should be independent and free from extraneous influence. | Latest News India
Namgyal said that both NC and Congress have betrayed Muslims, including the Shia community, which forms majority in Kargil district of the newly formed Union territory of Ladakh. For the 30-member LAHDC (Kargil), polls for the 26 council seats are scheduled on September 10 and the results will be declared four days later.
In South Asian politics, symbols play a crucial role, especially with electronic voting replacing paper ballots. Post-2019, Jammu and Kashmir parties face symbol-related challenges. Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' Conference shifted from lion to apple symbol for economic significance. Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party adopted a bicycle, facing internal issues. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference battled for their plough symbol. Parties' symbol struggles extend to Ladakh and upcoming elections, with BJP debating non-party versus party-based contesting strategies. Elections' significance remains due to symbol associations and potential political shifts.
SRINAGAR: With preparations underway for the 5th General Autonomous Hill Development Council elections in Kargil, Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah are set to address a large gathering in the district on August 25, according to party sources.
SRINAGAR: The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil is set to hold elections in the first week of September, with a notification for voting likely to be issued by the Election Authority in the first week of August. The new Council must be in place before October 1.