Barring BJP, all parties favour postponement of elections
Tasaduq Hussain
Ladakh, Sept 9: Amid border tensions with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh and ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, clouds of uncertainty continue to hover over Ladakh Autnomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) polls as barring BJP, all other political parties have advocated postponement of hill council elections.
A meeting was held under the chairmanship of deputy commissioner/CEO LADHC (Election authority) Leh with the political parties that include, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), congress party, Bhujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regarding the 6th LADHC election.
Except BJP all the three political parties suggested for the postponement of the much awaited LADHC election in view of the border tensions with China in Eastern Ladakh and ongoing global pandemic.
According to a document, of the four parties only BJP has agreed for the timely elections scheduled to be held in October while the other parties have cited ongoing pandemic and the border tensions with china in eastern Ladakh as a reason for postponement of the much awaited election.
The BJP during the meet proposed for timely election with suggestions that include, permissible gathering of 20 to 50 people with laid SOPs for rallies, restrictions on number of vehicles as well as on number of people (There should not be more than two persons in each vehicle), EVM used should be sanitized after each vote cast and creation of sub polling booth within the polling booth.
The representatives of Congress demanded postponement of election in view of the increasing number of COVID-19 positive cases and prevailing border situation and said that the election should be held once the situation normalizes.
The Aam Aadmi Party , which would be contesting its maiden LADHC polls, too stressed that it wouldn’t be appropriate time to conduct election in view of Covid-19 pandemic and demanded postponement of elections.
The party said it ballot boxes were used, this might prove a potential source of contamination like EVM machines.
The AAP also said that due to the ongoing border tension campaigning in border villages might not be possible thereby resulting in lower electoral process.
The BSP representatives in the meeting said that keeping in view of the current COVID-19 and border situation, the election should be postponed
The chair informed that the suggestions have been recorded.
Pertinently, Ladakh has so far reported over 3000 COVID positive cases with over 800 active positive cases among which only 35 have died of Covid of which 22 belong to Kargil and 13 from Leh—(KNO)
