Ladakh’s New Districts: Can Administrative Reforms Quell Political Unrest?

The Union Territory of Ladakh, created in 2019 without a legislature, is undergoing significant administrative restructuring. The government has notified 17 new tehsils and five new districts, bringing the total number of tehsils to 32 and districts to seven. Previously, Ladakh comprised only the districts of Leh and Kargil. The new districts—Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar, and Drass—were announced in April 2025.

Central to these reforms is the extension of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Act to all seven districts. The LAHDC Act, introduced in 1997, provides for an elected council with executive powers over land use, development programs, budget formulation, and certain tax collection. The councils consist of 26 directly elected members and up to four nominated members from religious minorities and women. The aim is to bring governance closer to the people, especially in remote high-altitude areas where distances are vast and infrastructure limited.

The reforms come amidst persistent political demands and protests. Since 2019, civil society groups like the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have been demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections to safeguard local culture and land rights. Violent protests erupted in September 2025, resulting in four civilian deaths and around 90 injuries. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested after a hunger strike. These events prompted the Ministry of Home Affairs to expedite talks through a high-powered committee.

However, the distribution of new tehsils and districts has drawn criticism. KDA leader Sajjad Kargili alleged bias in favor of Buddhists, noting that the erstwhile Leh district received 12 new tehsils compared to five in the erstwhile Kargil district. Out of the seven districts, only two—Kargil and Drass—are Muslim-majority, while the rest are Buddhist-majority. This has raised concerns about political representation and communal balance in a region where the population is roughly 46% Muslim (predominantly Shia) and 39% Buddhist, according to the 2011 census.

The government maintains that these reforms are administrative, aimed at improving governance and service delivery. Ladakh spans 59,146 square kilometers with a sparse population of about 2.74 lakh, and many villages are located at altitudes exceeding 16,000 feet. The creation of new districts and tehsils is intended to reduce travel distances for citizens and strengthen local development.

As talks continue between the Centre and Ladakh representatives, the success of these measures in addressing political aspirations remains uncertain. The lack of a legislature in the Union Territory structure, coupled with the demand for greater autonomy, continues to fuel unrest. The extension of the LAHDC Act provides a framework for local governance but falls short of the statehood that many groups seek.