Extension of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils to All Seven Districts

Extension of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils to All Seven Districts

#GS-2 #Indian Polity & Constitution #Local Government #Constitution #Federalism #Governance & Social Justice #Good Governance #Indian Society #Tribal Culture #Ladakh #LAHDC

Why in News

  • The **Ladakh** administration has decided to extend the **Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)** framework to all **7 districts**.
  • The government has created **17 new tehsils**, taking the total number of tehsils in the Union Territory to **32**.
  • This reform aims to strengthen democratic decentralization, enhance local governance, and preserve the land, culture, and identity of **Ladakh**.

Administrative Expansion and Infrastructure Boost

  • **Ladakh** previously consisted of only two districts, namely **Leh** and **Kargil**.
  • In **April 2026**, the administration established five new districts: **Sham**, **Nubra**, **Changthang**, **Zanskar**, and **Drass**.
  • To ensure effective public service delivery in high-altitude zones, the government created four new divisions under the **Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Flood Control Department**.
  • The administration also set up five new divisions under the **Public Works Department (PWD)** and **Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)**.

Legal and Institutional Framework of LAHDC

  • The **Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997** provides the statutory basis for establishing autonomous councils and an Inter-District Advisory Council.
  • While original legislation in **1995** and **1997** targeted **Leh** and **Kargil**, the law permits creating autonomous hill councils in every district.
  • Each council functions as a body corporate with perpetual succession, a common seal, and full rights to manage property and enter legal proceedings.
  • Implementing councils in the five new districts requires legal amendments and fresh constituency delimitation.

Council Composition and Governance Structure

  • Each autonomous council consists of **26 members** directly elected from single-member constituencies through adult suffrage.
  • The government can nominate up to **4 additional members** to ensure representation for women and principal religious minorities.
  • Sitting Members of Parliament and Legislative Assembly serve as ex-officio members without voting rights.
  • Elected members serve a **five-year term**, and general council meetings require a minimum quorum of **10 members**.
  • An Executive Council exercises executive power, headed by a Chairman who serves as the **Chief Executive Councillor (CEC)**.
  • The **CEC** nominates **4 executive members**, including at least one representative from a principal religious minority, while the **Deputy Commissioner (DC)** acts as the **Chief Executive Officer (CEO)**.

Powers, Finances, and Oversight Mechanism

  • Councils possess direct authority over land allotment, land use, and management of **Khalsa Sarkar** (government) land and un-demarcated forests.
  • A separate **Council Fund** managed through public treasuries receives local taxes, central allocation grants, and government loans.
  • The council holds legislative authority to levy and collect specific local taxes and administrative fees.
  • The **Governor** retains the power to dissolve a council for incompetence or default after issuing a formal notice.
  • Following any dissolution, the administration must officially reconstitute the council within **6 months**.

Challenges and Local Demands

  • Local activists, including **Sonam Wangchuk**, have organized mass demonstrations demanding strong constitutional safeguards for local employment and land rights.
  • Protesters have consistently demanded inclusion under the **Sixth Schedule** to guarantee demographic protection.
  • Clarifying the precise administrative authority of new councils regarding local recruitment remains a significant operational challenge.

Proposed Article 371 Safeguards and Way Forward

  • The **Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)** is exploring a customized framework under **Article 371** instead of the **Sixth Schedule**.
  • Located in **Part XXI** of the Constitution (Articles **371 to 371J**), these provisions offer special asymmetrical autonomy to protect indigenous land and administrative identity.
  • Speedy completion of constituency delimitation will ensure proper democratic representation across all seven districts.
  • Defining clear service rules and funding channels will help new councils function effectively at the grassroots level.