#Ladakh : Administration Decides To Constitute An Autonomous Hill Development Council In Each of The Seven Districts

Picture : ANI/X

In a landmark move to deepen democratic decentralisation in Ladakh, the Union Territory administration has  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.

Announcing the decision, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra also said the proposed Union Territory-level body under a customised Article 371 framework would sit above the seven Hill Councils, exercising legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers – a first-of-its-kind governance model tailored for Ladakh.

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.

“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,” the chief secretary told reporters as reported by PTI.

Explaining the legal framework, Kundra said 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.

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

Kundra said each of the seven Councils will carry the full powers set out in 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 authority over land ownership and land allotment within the district. Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass will exercise that authority within their own boundaries, he said.

Councils regulate recruitment and promotion for district cadre posts, he said, adding employment decisions in the new districts will rest with an elected body inside the district.

Kundra said each AHDC will have a dedicated Council Fund and the authority to levy taxes, fees and other charges in accordance with the law, giving every district an independent revenue base.

He said the councils will prepare their own development plans, enabling each district to determine its priorities instead of relying on decisions taken in Leh or Kargil. The councils will oversee key sectors such as health, education, tourism, local infrastructure and social welfare programmes at the district level, strengthening decentralised governance and service delivery, he said.

The chief secretary also outlined the administration’s proposal for a Union Territory-level institution above the seven Councils under a customised Article 371 framework.