INDIA VOTES 2024: In first poll as UT, Ladakh sees turnout close to 70%

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, May 20

In the first ever Lok Sabha polls after Ladakh became a Union Territory (UT), the region witnessed voter turnout of 69.62 per cent (till 11 pm) as people came out in large number in villages along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan in the west and Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the east.

The turnout in the 2019 LS polls was 71.05 per cent, while it was 71.40 per cent in 2014.

A three-cornered contest is being witnessed in Ladakh. In the fray are BJP’s Tashi Gyalson, chief executive councillor-cum-chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (Leh), Congress’ Tsering Namgyal and National Conference (NC) rebel from Kargil Haji Hanifa Jan.

Shia Muslim majority district of Kargil witnessed higher voting percentage since the morning than Leh which is a Buddhist dominant district. The voter turnout in Kargil was 74 per cent and 64.90 per cent in Leh.

Women and elderly were seen coming out in a large number to vote for the sole Lok Sabha constituency with over 1.84 lakh voters. Despite facing health issues, 95-year-old Haji Fida Hussain from LoC village of Karkit Badgam in Kargil cast his vote.

Persons with disabilities (PwD) voters were overwhelmed over the pick and drop facilities provided by the administration in Ladakh.

The BJP workers protested against the Election Commission after slogans against the party were seen written on the walls near the Housing Colony polling station.

BJP’s Jamyang Tsering Namgyal said, “This is negligence on part of the EC officials. There should be repoll in the polling station.” Congress’ Tsering Namgyal alleged that the slogans were written by the BJP itself. “It is their tactic to stop polling whenever they see that people are against them,” he said.

Ladakh L-G BD Mishra along with his wife Neelam Mishra also voted at Skara Yokma. While talking to the media, he said all people voted in a disciplined manner. Sonam Wangchuk, educationist and innovator, has stated in his social media posts that he would resume the protests for the demand of the Sixth Schedule when the new government is formed after June 4.