Ladakh to set up autonomous hill councils in all 7 districts

The Ladakh administration on Monday announced plans to establish an Autonomous Hill Development Council (AHDC) in each of the Union Territory's seven districts, extending the elected local governance framework currently limited to Leh and Kargil.

Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra also said a Union Territory-level institution proposed under a customised Article 371 framework would function above the seven hill councils and exercise legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers.

The administration described the proposed structure as a first-of-its-kind governance model tailored to Ladakh.

Ladakh expanded from two districts to seven in April 2026 following the notification of Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass as new districts. Until now, elected representation through hill councils has remained limited to Leh and Kargil.

"The Ladakh Administration has decided to constitute an Autonomous Hill Development Council in each of the seven districts. It is a major step towards democratic decentralisation and grassroots governance," Kundra told reporters.

Explaining the legal framework, the chief secretary said Section 3(1) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Act already provides for the establishment of a council in every district through a government notification published in the Official Gazette.

He said necessary amendments to the Act, wherever required, and the delimitation of constituencies were the remaining steps before the new councils could be constituted.

Kundra said all seven councils would exercise the full powers provided under the LAHDC Act.

"The new districts get the same authority that Leh has held since 1995 and Kargil since 2003, not a reduced version of it," he said.

The hill councils have powers over land ownership and allotment within their respective districts. Under the new framework, Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass will exercise similar authority within their boundaries.

The councils will also regulate recruitment and promotions for district cadre posts, placing employment-related decisions in the hands of elected bodies within individual districts, Kundra said.

Each AHDC will have a dedicated Council Fund and powers to levy taxes, fees and other charges in accordance with the law, providing the districts with an independent revenue base.

The councils will prepare their own development plans, allowing districts to set local priorities rather than depending solely on decisions taken in Leh or Kargil.

They will oversee key sectors including health, education, tourism, local infrastructure and social welfare programmes at the district level.

Kundra also outlined the proposed creation of a Union Territory-level institution above the seven councils under a customised Article 371 framework.

The body would exercise legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers and draw on features of constitutional and administrative arrangements existing elsewhere in India, he said.

Its structure and powers will be finalised through consultations between Ladakh's representatives and the central government. Certain powers could also be redistributed between the hill councils and the proposed Union Territory-level institution.

Kundra said the decision to establish an AHDC in each district was the first concrete step towards the broader governance framework.

Panchayati Raj institutions will continue to function alongside the hill councils, ensuring elected representation at the village, district and Union Territory levels, he added.