The Ladakh administration has decided to set up Autonomous Hill Development Councils (AHDCs) in all seven districts of the Union Territory. The move comes as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ladakh leaders have agreed in principle to extend constitutional safeguards under Article 371 to the region. The administration also plans to create a Union Territory-level elected body that will function above the district councils and hold legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers.

The decision follows the creation of five new districts—Sham, Nubra, Zanskar, Drass and Changthang. Ladakh earlier had only two districts, Leh and Kargil, which already have elected Hill Councils. With the addition of the new districts, the total number of districts in the Union Territory has increased to seven. The administration has now decided to extend elected representation to all of them through Autonomous Hill Development Councils.

Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra announced the decision and described it as a major step towards strengthening local governance. "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," he told reporters.

Kundra said people living in the newly created districts had demanded autonomous district councils after the administrative reorganisation. The administration accepted this demand and decided to provide the same governance structure that already exists in Leh and Kargil.

He said the new councils will enjoy the same powers as the existing Hill Councils. These powers include authority over land ownership and land allotment, recruitment and promotion of district cadre employees, preparation of district development plans, and administration of sectors such as health, education, tourism, local infrastructure and social welfare.

The councils will also have their own Council Fund. They will have the authority to collect taxes, fees and other charges as permitted under the law. This arrangement aims to strengthen financial independence at the district level and improve local administration.

Explaining the legal framework, Kundra referred to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Act. He said Section 3(1) of the Act already allows the government to establish a council in every district through an official notification published in the Government Gazette.

"The LHDC Act, Section 3, Subsection A states that there shall be an autonomous Hill Development Council for each district, from such date as the Government may by notification in the Government Gazette appoint on this behalf," he said.

Kundra said the administration now needs to make a few amendments to the Act wherever required. It also has to complete the delimitation of constituencies before the new councils can begin functioning.

"In the LHDC Act, the minor amendments that are required, and to complete this process, many steps will have to be taken, including delimitation of constituencies," he said.

He assured that the administration remains committed to establishing Hill Development Councils in all seven districts. "These LHDCs shall have the same power, which is written in the LHDC Act," he said.

Kundra also spoke about the proposed Union Territory-level elected body that is under discussion between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ladakh leaders. He said the institution will require a constitutional amendment under the proposed Article 371 safeguards before its structure and powers can be finalised.

"To define the powers and rights of the U- level body, which is being discussed, it needs a constitutional amendment. The process of negotiation is going on and only after that its form will be known. Afterwards, some powers may be rebalanced… what will be the power of LHDC and what will be the power of the UT level body," he said.

He said the proposed institution will exercise legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers. Discussions between Ladakh's representatives and the Centre will decide its final structure. The consultations will also determine how powers will be shared between the Union Territory-level body and the district Hill Councils.

Kundra described the decision to establish Autonomous Hill Development Councils in all seven districts as the first major step towards the proposed governance model. He added that Panchayati Raj institutions will continue to function alongside the Hill Councils. This system will ensure elected representation at the village, district and Union Territory levels.

The expansion of local governance follows the recent administrative reorganisation in Ladakh. Earlier, the Lieutenant Governor approved the creation of five new districts, raising the total number from two to seven. The administration also created 17 additional tehsils, taking the total number of tehsils in the Union Territory to 32. The latest decision now lays the foundation for elected councils across all districts while the Centre and Ladakh leaders continue discussions on constitutional safeguards and the proposed Union Territory-level governing body.