26 LAHDC-K councillors to take oath today | Chairman to be elected on Oct 18

Kargil, Oct 16: The 26 newly-elected councillors of the 5th Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil will be administered oath of office and secrecy on Tuesday.

A senior official told Greater Kashmir that “All 26 councillors will be administered oath on Tuesday, October 17th” adding that the UT administration has kept October 18 as the date for the first meeting of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil.

As per the procedure, initially the Council meeting has to be convened by the Deputy Commissioner Kargil, who serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to the Council in which all newly elected members have to take oath. This is followed by election of the Chairman-cum-CEC which can take place either unanimously or through voting. The elections for the 5th LAHDC-Kargil were held on October 4. In the recent elections in a big win for National Conference (NC) in Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil, it has emerged as the single largest party by winning twelve seats, while the Congress is at the second position and won ten seats. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to win only two seats.

The election for 26 seats of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil (LAHDC-K) in Union territory Ladakh was held on October 4 had a lot at stake for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), National Conference (NC) and Congress. The election recorded a polling of 77.61% as out of the total 95,388 voters, 74,026 exercised their right of franchise.

The LAHDC Kargil just like LAHDC Leh has 30 seats. However, elections in both the Councils are held for 26 seats while four Councilors are nominated by the administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh. Majority mark in the Council is 16. Meanwhile, the National Conference is likely to get the Chief Executive councilor, Chairman post first. Sources said both the parties are reported to have decided to share four posts of Executive Councillors (who enjoy rank of the Ministers and hold charge of different departments) equally between them. However, as far as the post of Chairman-cum-Chief Executive Councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil is concerned, the two parties are likely to reach consensus on rotation for two and half years each as the Council has a term of five years.

The National Conference is likely to stake claim to the post of Chairman-cum-CEC for the first term of two and half years on the ground that it emerged as the single largest party winning 12 seats as against 10 of the Congress. The Chairman-cum-CEC has the rank of Cabinet Minister of a State while Executive Councillors have the rank of the Deputy Minister of a State.

In the outgoing Council, National Conference leader Feroz Khan remained Chairman-cum-CEC of the LAHDC Kargil for a full term of five years initially with the support of Congress followed by backing of the Independents. Khan has been re-elected from Silmoo constituency with an impressive margin and is once again a strong contender for the post of Chairman.

From Congress, senior leader and district president Kargil Nasir Hussain Munshi is seen as a strong contender for the Chairman’s post. Sources in both NC and Congress told Greater Kashmir that the leaders of both the alliance parties will meet on October 17 to take a final call on the CEC post.

The National Conference and Congress had, prior to the elections, agreed for a post-poll alliance in the LAHDC Kargil to keep BJP away from the power though the two parties contested elections against each other except few seats where they fielded joint candidates. Though the two parties stand by post-poll alliance to share the post of Chairman-cum-CEC for two and half years each, they will take a call on October 17 as to which party will have its Chairperson for the first term. However, they are unanimous to equally share four posts of Executive Councillors, who have ranks of the Minister.

National Conference vice president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had stated that since his party has more seats than the Congress it should get the first term of the Chairperson.