Ladakh Administration Reimposes Prohibitory Orders in Leh and Kargil

Ladakh UT administration has reimposed restrictions on gatherings of five or more people, and banned processions, rallies and marches without prior permission in Leh, just two days after declaring that normalcy has returned to the region.

The announcement of these restrictions comes days after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced a judicial probe into the September 24 police firing that left four protesters dead and 90 injured in Leh.

District Magistrate in Kargil, IAS Rakesh Kumar, issued prohibitory orders which came into force "with immediate effect and shall remain operational until further orders”.

Under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023,  the following prohibitory actions have been imposed: 

Ban on unlawful processions and rallies in Kargil Town, ban on the use of loudspeakers without prior permission.

Probibition on provocative public speech or deliberation, whether written, oral or disseminated via social media. An assembly of five or more persons is banned in Kargil Town. 

According to an order issued by Leh district magistrate Romil Singh Donk, the SSP's report warning of a potential disturbance of peace and a threat to law and order in the UT served as the basis for the decision to impose limitations.

On October 18, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) called for a three-hour blackout and a two-hour silent march throughout Ladakh, which resulted in the reinstatement of the restrictions.  This procession was intended to express support for the families of those killed in the violence as well as for those who were seriously hurt.