Srinagar, Nov. 11 -- The Ladakh administration on Tuesday announced the schedule for the Ladakh Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections, with the polling to be held on December 4 and the entire process concluding by December 8. However, the announcement triggered a political backlash across the region, including a complete shutdown in Kargil town and an election boycott by Leh bodies. State election commissioner Sudhanshu Pandey announced the timeline under Rule 12 of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (Rules), 2026. The notification applies across all eight newly configured districts of the UT-comprising Leh and Kargil as well as the newly created council divisions of Drass, Zanskar, Sankoo, Sham, Nubra and Changthang. "I feel it is a watershed moment for Ladakh and democracy. It is a turning point in the larger journey of democracy, particularly in the context of the demands being raised and the aspirations of the people," Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra said on Tuesday after the poll schedule was announced. The deadline for filing nominations is set for November 17. P7...