LEH, Oct 28: Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, chaired a high-level meeting to review preparations for the forthcoming Panchayat Elections 2026, emphasising meticulous planning, effective coordination among departments and timely completion of all necessary arrangements for the smooth, secure and orderly conduct of the electoral process.
The meeting was attended by officials of the State Election Commission, Chief Electoral Officer, Ladakh, Director General of Police, Ladakh, the Rural Development Department, all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of the districts, and other senior officers concerned with election management.
At the outset, Secretary, Rural Development Department, Nidhi Malik, presented a detailed overview of election preparedness. The presentation covered the number of blocks, Sarpanch and Panch constituencies, polling locations, Returning Officers, the election schedule, logistical requirements and deployment of personnel.
Reviewing the preparations at various stages of the election process, Kundra stressed the importance of ensuring that all arrangements were completed within the prescribed timelines. He examined the nomination process, availability of election materials and ballot boxes, appointment and training of polling personnel, and preparation of polling-party deployment schedules.
The Chief Secretary directed the concerned officers to monitor nominations and complaints daily, submit election-related reports on time and maintain regular coordination with the relevant election authorities. He also instructed them to ensure that all prescribed election materials and polling kits were arranged and dispatched well in advance to avoid last-minute difficulties.
The meeting also reviewed arrangements for the identification and security of strong rooms and counting centres at district and block levels. Kundra emphasised the need for secure storage of election materials and adequate security arrangements in coordination with the Police Department. He called for clear and standardised procedures for transportation, route planning, zonal arrangements and reporting to ensure consistency across districts.
Special attention was given to logistical challenges in remote and snow-bound areas of Ladakh. The Chief Secretary directed officers to identify polling stations that could face accessibility issues and prepare suitable contingency plans in advance. These plans would take into account road and weather conditions, snow clearance, alternative routes and the advance movement of polling parties wherever necessary.
He also stressed the importance of making adequate arrangements for food, heating, accommodation and communication facilities for polling personnel deployed in difficult locations. Transport requirements were to be assessed well in advance to ensure that election staff could reach their designated polling stations safely and on schedule.
Kundra further reviewed manpower requirements, the deployment of teachers and other government employees on election duty, training schedules, polling-party dispatch arrangements, law-and-order preparedness, excise-related arrangements and coordination at border posts.
He called for a coordinated, district-wise assessment of expenditure, logistical needs and operational preparedness, along with the timely finalisation of movement plans and reporting formats. The concerned officers were directed to maintain regular communication with the Secretariat and provide daily updates on nominations and other important election-related developments.
The meeting was attended by Director General of Police, Ladakh, Anand Jain; Secretary, Rural Development Department, Nidhi Malik; Secretary, Finance, Tsewang Tharchin; Chief Electoral Officer, Ladakh, Rahul Sharma; Secretary, General Administration Department, Rudra P. T. Goud; Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Romil Singh Donk; and other senior officers and officials involved in election preparations.
The review underscored the administration’s focus on ensuring comprehensive preparedness, effective security and efficient logistical management for the Panchayat Elections 2026, with particular emphasis on addressing the unique geographical and climatic challenges of Ladakh.