India, Oct. 22 -- The State Election Commission (SEC) of Ladakh, on Wednesday, announced the schedule for the impending panchayat elections in the strategic Union territory, with polling scheduled for November 21 and the entire election process to be completed by November 30. The state election commissioner, Sudhanshu Pandey, said that the election notifications will be issued by the administrator and the SEC on October 26. The last date for filing nominations is November 2, while scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on November 3. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until November 5. The last general elections to panchayat halqas in Ladakh were held in November 2018, necessitating the constitution of new panchayat halqas. The schedule has been framed under Rule 7 of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Rules, 1996, as applicable to the Union territory of Ladakh. The model code of conduct has also come into force with immediate effect. Ladakh LG Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday notified 100 constituencies for the eight Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC), nearly doubling the existing strength of 52 seats. Under the new structure notified under the LAHDC (Amendment) Regulation 2026: Leh will have 22, Kargil (21), Sankoo (13), Changthang (10), Nubra (9), Sham (9), Zanskar (9), and Drass (7). Saxena said the increased number of seats will significantly enhance local representation, strengthen grassroots democracy, and promote inclusive governance across every corner of Ladakh....