Ladakh’s Union Territory administration announces plans to constitute Autonomous Hill Development Councils (AHDC) in each of its seven districts, expanding the existing system of district-level councils. Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra says the move is intended to strengthen grassroots governance through democratic decentralisation and more localised administration. Several reports note that until recently, elected representation under hill councils has operated only through councils for Leh and Kargil districts. In April 2026, Ladakh increases from two to seven districts, with Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass notified as additional districts, alongside Leh and Kargil.
In addition to district councils, NDTV and Times of India report that the government is also discussing a proposed Union Territory-level body created under a customised framework related to Article 371. This UT-level structure, reported to sit above the seven district councils, is described as having legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers. Times of India also says a draft framework for the overall arrangement is expected to be prepared soon. The district councils are described as being consistent with provisions of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Act, which allows for a council for every district when notified by the government.
