Kargil, May 14: The Indian National Congress (INC) Kargil has formally submitted a no-confidence motion against incumbent Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of LAHDC Kargil, Dr Jaffar Akhoon, under Section 27(2) of the LAHDC Act, 1997.
Dr Mohammad Jaffar Akhoon is set to face a floor test in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, after the no-confidence motion was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The motion was submitted before the competent authority by Congress councillors along with supporting members, citing differences over the coalition-sharing arrangement between the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) and the Indian National Congress regarding the rotational tenure of the Chief Executive Councillor’s post.
Addressing a press conference, senior Congress leader and Ladakh in-charge Asgar Karbalai, flanked by NC Kargil president and Member of Parliament Mohammad Haneefa, said the decision was taken after detailed deliberations and consultations with party leadership and elected representatives.
He said the move reflects the democratic rights of elected councillors and aims to safeguard the interests and aspirations of the people of Kargil district.
The Ladakh Congress chief clarified that the alliance between the NC and Congress remains intact, but the no-confidence motion is intended for the removal of the chairman from the post.
The council is currently governed by an alliance between the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and the Indian National Congress, which assumed office after securing a decisive mandate in the council elections held in October 2023.
The alliance collectively won 22 out of 26 seats, with the National Conference securing 12 seats and the Congress winning 10, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and independent candidates won two seats each.
As part of the coalition understanding reached at the time, both parties had agreed to a rotational arrangement for the post of Chief Executive Councillor, the head of the council’s executive body. Under the arrangement, the leadership was to be shared for fixed durations during the council’s term.
Although the tenure of the incumbent CEC ended on April 18, he has not resigned from the post so far, prompting the Congress party to move the no-confidence motion.
Member of Parliament Mohammad Haneefa and District Congress president Nasir Munshi also addressed the press conference.
Senior Congress leaders and councillors were present during the submission of the motion and expressed confidence that the democratic process would be carried out fairly and constitutionally.
