In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India has set aside the election notification issued for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and directed the issuance of a fresh notification. A bench comprising Justices Vikaram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullan handed down the ruling on Wednesday, further rejecting the appeal filed by the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh against the Jammu and Kashmir High Court’s decision to allot the plough symbol to the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC).
The apex court has ordered that the fresh notification for the elections be issued within seven days, emphasizing the need for a fair and unbiased electoral process. Additionally, the UT administration has been slapped with a cost of Rs 1 lakh in connection with this case.
The bench, while reading only the operative part of the verdict, declared, “For these reasons, the entire election process issued by the administration in Ladakh stands set aside.”
The controversy began when the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, on August 10, directed election authorities to allocate the plough symbol to the JKNC. The now-quashed notification had initially scheduled the elections for September 10.
Awaiting a detailed order from the Supreme Court, the implications of this decision are expected to reverberate throughout the region. The allocation of the plough symbol, a potent political emblem, could significantly influence the forthcoming elections.
In response to the court’s ruling, Omar Abdullah, the Vice President of the JKNC, expressed his satisfaction, stating, “Our symbol, the plough, has been given to us by the Hon Supreme Court earlier this morning. The BJP, ably assisted by a totally biased Ladakh administration, did everything possible to deny us our right. The court saw through this and penalized them with ₹1 lakh costs imposed on them. Congratulations to @JkncKargil and a huge thank you to @ShariqJReyaz for the amazing job he did arguing this in front of the HC & SC (sic).”
.@JKNC_ got the verdict we wanted & deserved. Our symbol, the plough, has been given to us by the Hon Supreme Court earlier this morning. The BJP, ably assisted by a totally biased Ladakh administration, did everything possible to deny us our right. The court saw through this &…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) September 6, 2023
This development has sparked discussions on the impartiality and integrity of the electoral process, particularly in the context of Union Territories like Ladakh, which have unique political dynamics and sensitivities. The Supreme Court’s decision, along with the subsequent actions taken by the electoral authorities, will likely set a precedent for the upcoming elections in the region.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
