LEH, OCT 20: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena has announced the implementation of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2026, with effect from October 19, following its promulgation by the President of India.
In a significant move aimed at strengthening grassroots democracy and expanding local representation, the amended regulation paves the way for the establishment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) in all eight districts of the Union Territory, including the newly created Sankoo district.
According to the Lieutenant Governor, the regulation was implemented within a record six days. The Union Cabinet approved the amendments on October 14, followed by presidential promulgation on October 16, before the regulation was notified for implementation from October 19.
The amendment also rationalises the strength of the Hill Councils by providing for a minimum of seven and a maximum of 24 constituencies, replacing the earlier provision of 26 seats in each Council. It further provides for the nomination of four members representing women and unrepresented communities, with the stated objective of making local governance more inclusive and broad-based.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Saxena described the regulation as a landmark step towards strengthening democratic institutions, enhancing representation and ensuring greater participation in Ladakh’s local governance.
The move is expected to have significant implications for Ladakh’s administrative and political landscape by extending the Hill Council framework to all eight districts. The implementation of the amended regulation marks an important development in the region’s decentralised governance structure, with the objective of bringing decision-making closer to local communities.
