Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Amendment 2026

#GS-2 #Indian Polity & Constitution #Federalism #Governance & Social Justice #Current Events #National #Ladakh #Issues Relating to Development

Key takeaways

The LAHDC (Amendment) Regulation, 2026 expands hill councils to all 8 districts of Ladakh.
The number of elected constituencies has been increased to 100, with seats per council now varying between 7 and 24.
The proposed UT-level body requires the Lieutenant Governor's assent for any law to take effect, raising concerns about real autonomy.
Ladakhi activists continue to demand full Statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule for stronger legislative protection.

The President of India has issued the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC) (Amendment) Regulation, 2026.
This new rule expands the reach of Hill Councils to cover all eight districts of Ladakh.
The government has already notified 100 elected constituencies across these eight councils.

Hill Councils will now be set up in Leh and Kargil, as well as the six new districts: Sankoo, Changthang, Nubra, Sham, Zanskar, and Drass.
The government changed the old system of having exactly 26 seats per council. Now, a council can have anywhere from 7 to 24 seats, depending on the local population and geography.
To ensure fairness, the regulation allows the government to nominate up to four members from women's groups and communities that lack representation. This number cannot exceed one-sixth of the elected seats.
These councils now have the same powers as district-level panchayats under the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989.
The State Election Commission for the UT of Ladakh will be in charge of managing and controlling these council elections.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is planning a new elected body for the entire Union Territory.
A major point of debate is the Lieutenant Governor's (L-G) power. The draft says any law passed by this body needs the L-G's approval before it can start.
The government wants to use Article 371 for a constitutional setup and Article 240 to let the President make rules for the peace and progress of Ladakh.
The government is asking the public for opinions on a few things: whether to divide seats based on population or area, if women should have 33% or 50% reservation, and if members should be elected directly or through the LAHDCs.

Local activists are worried that the L-G's power to veto laws makes the elected members mere advisors. They feel this is not real legislative power.
Many believe this new system does not provide the same level of autonomy that the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution offers.
The current changes ignore the main demands of the Ladakhi people, which include full Statehood, Sixth Schedule status, a separate Public Service Commission (PSC), and individual Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil.