NC expels Ladakh leader Akhoon as he refuses to step down as CEC of Kargil hill council

The National Conference (NC) on Saturday (July 18, 2026) removed party leader in Ladakh Dr. Mohammad Jaffer Akhoon, days after he refused to step down from the top post of Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil (LAHDC-K) as part of a deal with ally Congress.

An NC spokesman said party general secretary Haji Ali Mohammad Sagar removed Mr. Akhoon from the basic membership of the party for a period of six years. “The action has been taken in view of his anti-party activities and for causing indiscipline within the party,” the spokesman said.

The NC and the Congress contested the hill council elections as a coalition in 2023. While the NC won 12 seats, the Congress managed to win 10 out of 26 seats. Two seats were won by the BJP and two by Independent candidates. Besides these 26 seats, four seats are nominated in the 30-member hill council.

As part of the pre-poll agreement, the NC and the Congress were to occupy the CEC post with a five-year term on a rotational basis for two-and-a-half years each. However, Mr. Akhoon refused to step down in spite of bids by the Congress to bring a no confidence motion against him. Ladakh Member of Parliament Hanifa Jan has met Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena “to ensure the floor test as per the rules”.