In a major relief to the Leh district administration, the Civil Aviation Department has finally agreed to airlift the polling staff to snowbound and inaccessible areas of the district for holding the elections to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC).
“We received an official confirmation from the Civil Aviation Department on Monday evening. The polling staff to six polling stations in snowbound and inaccessible areas of the district will be dispatched to their respective destinations from tomorrow,” said Election Officer Rakesh Badyal, who is also the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Leh.
Earlier, the administration had decided to advance the dispatch of polling staff to snowbound and inaccessible areas of the district due to non-availability of air sorties. The polling parties were supposed to leave the district headquarters via road today.
The airlifting of the polling staff to six polling stations comprising Skumpata, Lingshet, Depling, Neraks, Youlchang and Fotoskar will begin tomorrow.
After airdropping them at a particular place, the polling parties will trek for 5 to 7 hours to reach far-flung villages for holding elections.
