Ladakh’s administration plans to establish Autonomous Hill Development Councils (AHDCs) in each of its seven districts, a move officials describe as democratic decentralisation and an effort to strengthen grassroots governance. Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra says the government has decided to constitute an AHDC for every district, building on provisions in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Act, which already contemplates a council for each district once the government notifies.
At present, AHDCs function for only two districts—Leh and Kargil—while other districts were added later. Reports note that Ladakh expanded from two to seven districts in April 2026, when Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass were notified as new districts.
Several outlets also report that discussions are underway for a UT-level body that would sit above the seven district councils, potentially under a customised Article 371 framework, with legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers. A draft framework for this higher-level arrangement is expected to be prepared soon, according to one report.
