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SRINAGAR: Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) completed its five-year term Thursday, with no announcement of fresh elections or on the council’s status.LAHDC was established under Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act, 1995, during PM PV Narasimha Rao’s tenure and its first elections were held the same year. In the 2020 polls, BJP won 15 of 26 seats and took control of the council.Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa said with panchayat elections pending for several years, the hill council’s term ending without fresh polls being announced did not “augur well for the region”. “Govt has not issued any order on whether to extend its term or not. If no notification is issued for continuation and fresh elections are not held, it will not be good for democracy.”Chushul councillor Konchok Stanzin said the term being allowed to end without fresh elections indicated “the end of democracy” in the region. Kargil Democratic Alliance functionary Sajjad Kargili said “last remnants of democracy” were about to disappear.Administration was expected to issue an election notification between Sept 20 and 25 for polls around Oct 27-28. The process would have been completed by Nov 1 so that a new council could take charge on time.However, the situation turned volatile, particularly in Leh when police and paramilitary forces opened fire on protesters demanding Sixth Schedule status and statehood for Ladakh as demonstrations turned violent, killing four people and injuring more than 70, on Sept 24. Authorities in Leh imposed curfew-like restrictions, suspended mobile Internet, and arrested over 70 people, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. Govt has since restored Internet access and lifted restrictions. Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, the two major political groupings, recently held talks with govt’s sub-committee on Ladakh region.
