Ladakh to set up autonomous hill development councils for all 7 districts

• The Ladakh administration announced an Autonomous Hill Development Council (AHDC) for each of its seven districts, extending the existing framework of elected local self-governance beyond Leh and Kargil.

• It is a major step towards democratic decentralisation and grassroots governance.

• Ladakh moved from two districts to seven in April 2026, when Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass were notified. 

• Elected representation until now has stayed with the two existing Councils in Leh and Kargil.

• Section 3(1) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Act already provides for the constitution of a Council in every district through a government notification published in the Official Gazette.

• Only the necessary amendments to the Act, wherever required, and the delimitation of constituencies remain before the new councils can be constituted.

• Each of the seven Councils will carry the full powers set out in the LAHDC Act.

• The hill councils have authority over land ownership and land allotment within the district. Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass will exercise that authority within their own boundaries.

• Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra said the proposed Union Territory-level body under a customised Article 371 framework would sit above the seven Hill Councils.

• The proposed body would exercise legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers.

• The structure and powers of the proposed Union Territory-level body would be finalised through consultations between Ladakh's representatives and the central government.

• Meanwhile, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved a comprehensive reorganisation and rationalisation of tehsils and revenue villages.

• Under this reorganisation, 17 new tehsils have been created in Ladakh, taking the total number of tehsils to 32, from the existing 15.