Autonomous hill councils to be extended to all seven districts in Ladakh
The administration of Ladakh has announced the expansion of autonomous hill councils to cover all seven districts in the Union Territory. This move follows a significant administrative restructuring that increased the total number of tehsils from 15 to 32.
The Ladakh administration is set to extend the framework of autonomous hill councils to all seven districts, a major shift from the current model focused on Leh and Kargil. Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra confirmed that the decision comes alongside the creation of five new districts—Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang—to improve local governance.
To support this expansion, the government has added 17 new tehsils, bringing the total number in the region to 32. This administrative overhaul is intended to bring decision-making closer to the residents of these remote Himalayan areas, addressing long-standing demands for localized representation.
The administration has held several rounds of discussions with representatives from various religious organizations and civil society bodies. These consultations aimed to address concerns regarding constitutional safeguards for the region's unique cultural and land rights as it transitions to the new administrative structure.
Source: Ladakh Administration / Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra via local reports.
