In a major development, the recently floated People's Movement for 6th Schedule for Ladakh, a powerful platform representing various politicians, religious and social organisations, on Tuesday announced a boycott of the upcoming elections to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh.The People's Movement for the Sixth schedule for Ladakh was formed last month when prominent political and religious leaders, leaving behind their ideological differences, came together to demand safeguards for the Ladakh region in the form of 6th schedule and more powers to the twin hill councils, the other being LAHDC Kargil.The People's Movement for the 6th Schedule includes political leaders from BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).The apex body of People's Movement on Tuesday called for complete poll boycott of the 6th general LAHDC Leh election.

The body stated that it won’t take part in the electoral process.It is demanding inclusion of Ladakh in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, having more than 95 per cent tribal population.Veteran politician and former Lok Sabha MP Thupstan Chhewang, who resigned from the BJP in November 2018, expressed hope that the people of Leh would stay away from the polls and those planning to fight the elections will not file their nomination papers."We are confident that we will get full support from the entire population and our struggle will continue till our demands are met," he said.Reading out the resolution passed by the apex body of the movement and signed by a dozen prominent leaders, including president of powerful Buddhist Association PT Kunzang, Chhewang said the decision to boycott the polls was taken after a thorough discussion and deliberation by the leaders.Besides Chhewang and Kunzang, the resolution was signed among others by former Rajya Sabha Member Skyabje Thiksey Khampo Rinpochey, former minister Chhering Dorje Lakrook, former minister and president Ladakh Congress Nawang Rigzin Jora, district president BJP Nawang Samstan and convenor Aam Admi Party, Leh, T Phustsog.Others who signed the resolution include president All Ladakh Gompa Association Shatup Chamba, president Anjuman Immamia Ashraf Ali Barcha, president Anjuman Moin-ul-Islam Abdul Qayum, president Christian Community Dechen Chamgha and president LEAF Jigmet Paljor.Highlighting the demand for legislative assembly, It however, said the two existing Autonomous Hill Development Councils in Leh and Kargil districts should be sufficiently empowered to make necessary legislations and rules for areas under their jurisdiction with elected representatives having the final say.As per the notification issued by the election department of Ladakh, the date for filling of nomination for LAHDC Leh will begin on September 21, while the last date for nomination is September 28.The scrutiny of the papers will be held on September 29 and the last date for the withdrawal of nominations is October 1.

Elections, if necessary, will be held on October 16.The counting will be held on October 22 and the election process will be completed on October 27, the day when the five-year term of present LAHDC Leh expires.The polling will be held between 8 am to 4 pm on all 26 non-reserved and six reserved constituencies of LAHDC, the notification issued last week read.(With PTI inputs)