Sonam Wangchuk Says He Is Under House Arrest in Leh
Police cite prohibitory orders for the election period; Wangchuk calls it house arrest and plans to challenge it in court.
Image: The Tribune (file photo)
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said in Leh on 12 November that he is under house arrest, a day after Ladakh Police removed him from a protest site and escorted him to his residence. Police said it was preventive action under prohibitory orders issued by the Chief Electoral Officer of the Union Territory and the District Magistrate, Leh, for the election period, and that he was advised to stay at home. The Leh Apex Body had planned to resume its protest on Thursday over the timing of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections, set for 4 December.
Police Outside the Gate
Wangchuk said 20 to 25 police and paramilitary personnel, with vehicles and tents, have been posted outside his house since Wednesday night, PTI reported. Officials reportedly describe it only as advice to stay indoors; he disputes that. He said he would challenge the restrictions before the Magistrate, the High Court and the Supreme Court. According to The Tribune, he had gone to NDS Memorial Park in Leh expecting he might not be allowed to protest the next day. Police said the orders regulate rallies, protests and gatherings within Leh Municipality limits and cited a risk to public order.
Why Winter Polls Are Disputed
Wangchuk and other regional leaders have objected to holding the council elections in winter, when many residents are away, and said the Hill Councils have been made ineffective. He also demanded release of the Commission of Inquiry report on the 24 September violence last year, alleging it is being suppressed. Leaders of the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance were preparing a sit-in. IPB News reported earlier on the Kargil shutdown over the poll date; more reports are under the Ladakh tag.
Also read CJI Surya Kant Opens Ladakh’s First High Court Bench in Leh
Court Challenge and the 4 December Vote
No hearing date has been announced for Wangchuk’s planned challenge. The Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance are also in talks with the Centre on Ladakh’s demands, according to The Tribune. Polling for the hill council is scheduled for 4 December.
Source: Based on reporting by The Tribune and ThePrint (PTI). No official order text was found; searched the web for the Leh District Magistrate and CEO Ladakh orders.
Image: The Tribune (file).
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