Leh district, in its first urban local bodies (ULBs) elections, witnessed only 54.2% voting while Kargil district recorded 78.15% voting for the municipal committees. The polling was held on 8 October through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the counting will take place on 20 October.

This is for the first time that the municipal elections were held in the Ladakh region. No civic polls had ever been conducted in Ladakh due to the absence of municipal committees. Till 2013, Leh and Kargil districts had notified area committees which were upgraded to the municipal committees about five years ago. 

In Leh district, which has 14,156 voters, only 7,672 casts their votes while in Kargil, the total number of voters was 6,069, out of which 4,745 cast their votes. 

 

In Leh, 29 candidates (19 males and 10 females) were in the fray–13 from BJP, 13 from Congress and 3 Independent candidates; and in Kargil, 37 candidates (5 from BJP, 11 from Congress and 21 Independent candidates) contested the elections.  J&K is witnessing civic body elections after a gap of 10 years.  The two main regional parties, the NC and the PDP, have boycotted the polls in protest against the Centre’s stand on J&K’s special status.

SOME FACTS: 

The last time polls for the municipal bodies in the state were held in 2005. Since 2010, the elections for ULBs have not been held in the state.

There are a total of 79 municipal bodies in the state. There are two municipal corporation, six municipal councils and 71 municipal committees across the state. 

Classification of municipalities and municipal area:

Municipal Corporation: Comprises big towns/ capital cities (Jammu and Srinagar). The head of the Municipal Corporation is the Mayor.

Municipal Council: Comprises medium towns.

Municipal Committee: Comprises small towns and is headed by the Chairman. 

 

Expenditure observers were also appointed to a keep a close watch on election expenses.

The current expenditure limits are ₹ 1.50 lakh for election to the municipal corporations, ₹ 1 lakh for election to the municipal councils, and ₹ 50,000 for election to the municipal committees.