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Ladakh LG Notifies Hill Council Amendment to Expand Councils Across Eight Districts
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News18•20-10-2026, 11:14
Ladakh LG Notifies Hill Council Amendment to Expand Councils Across Eight Districts
- •The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, VK Saxena, notified the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2026, effective October 19.
- •The regulation paves the way for Autonomous Hill Development Councils in all eight districts of the Union Territory, including the new Sankoo district.
- •The number of constituencies in each Council is now set between a minimum of seven and a maximum of 24 seats, replacing the previous flat structure of 26 seats.
- •Four members will be nominated from women and unrepresented communities to ensure greater participation and inclusivity in local governance.
- •Local leaders like Kargil Democratic Alliance co-chairman Sajjad Kargili questioned the move, claiming it was introduced without consulting local stakeholders.
Key Questions Answered
The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2026, was notified by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena effective October 19, 2026, to pave the way for autonomous hill development councils across all eight districts of Ladakh.
The new regulation sets a minimum of seven and a maximum of 24 seats for each Council, along with the nomination of four members from women and unrepresented communities to ensure greater participation in local governance.
Kargil Democratic Alliance co-chairman Sajjad Kargili questioned the Centre's move to amend the legal framework, claiming the changes were introduced without local stakeholder consultation and raising doubts about commitment to constitutional safeguards.
