Three Ladakh-based groups, including the influential Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), have announced a boycott of the upcoming panchayat and urban local body election in the Union territory, citing the timing of the polls amid harsh winter conditions and seasonal migration.The decision was taken at a meeting of the Nambardar Association, Ladakh Buddhist Association and Ladakh Gonpa Association in Leh, where a proposal moved by the Nambardar Association was unanimously supported, Chering Dorjay Lakrook, president of LBA, told The Tribune on Monday.“Around 70 Nambardars presented a proposal seeking a boycott of the election. LBA and Gonpa Association supported it,” he said.Lakrook said the primary reason for the boycott was the timing of the election, as a significant portion of the population had migrated from the region due to the onset of winter.“When we were part of Jammu and Kashmir, elections would be postponed because of the harsh winter conditions. However, the present administration is paying no heed to these concerns and has announced the election at a time when nearly half the population has migrated due to winter,” he said.He also questioned the administration’s decision not to specify the date for the declaration of election results in the notification, alleging that it raised suspicions.“They have not mentioned the date of declaration of results in the notification. We feel there could be some conspiracy behind this,” he said.Last month, the Ladakh administration announced election to panchayats and municipal committees in Leh and Kargil.On Jattvibeday, Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa Jan wrote to Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta, seeking reconsideration and deferment of the proposed Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) election in view of the “harsh winter conditions, seasonal migration and the need for a comprehensive revision of electoral rolls”.In his letter, Jan said several “critical geographical, climatic, logistical and administrative considerations” needed to be taken into account before announcing the schedule for the forthcoming LAHDC election.Meanwhile, groups in Kargil have called for a shutdown on Tuesday, demanding deferment of the proposed LAHDC election.“We have called a shutdown against the LAHDC election, which we are hearing are being held during winter. We want the election to be held after winter,” Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) co-chairman Sajjad Kargili told The Tribune.He said the delimitation exercise and the stalled ongoing talks were among the several reasons behind the shutdown call.