Leh, Jul 13 : The Centre has decided to establish Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) in all seven districts of the Union Territory, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra announced on Monday, in a significant move aimed at deepening democratic decentralisation.
The administration will amend the existing LAHDC Act wherever necessary and undertake constituency delimitation before the new councils are constituted, Kundra told reporters.
He said consultations are also underway with the Ministry of Home Affairs on a customised framework under Article 371 for Ladakh, which would create a Union Territory-level institution vested with legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers.
“The contours of this body will be finalised after detailed consultations with Ladakh’s representatives and the Government of India,” the Chief Secretary said.
The announcement follows recent discussions between the Centre, the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), indicating continued engagement with civil society on issues of governance and constitutional safeguards, official sources said.
In a significant push to strengthen governance capacity, Kundra said over 4,500 government posts have already been filled or their recruitment completed since Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019.
Recruitment for another 1,684 posts is currently underway, he said, adding that fresh advertisements will be issued shortly for 262 Primary and Upper Primary Teacher posts, 47 posts in the University of Ladakh, and 331 Constable posts.
The administration has created 17 new tehsils and posted tehsildars, while new divisions under the Public Works Department, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Public Health Engineering have been established across all seven districts, the Chief Secretary said.
Kundra said senior officers will undertake regular visits to newly created districts, especially remote and border areas, for grievance redressal and monitoring of development projects.
He clarified that Panchayati Raj Institutions will continue to function alongside the proposed Hill Councils, and additional district-level posts will be created in phases as the administrative structure expands.
On the proposed Excise Policy, the Chief Secretary said public objections are being examined before a final decision is taken.
Official sources said the establishment of LAHDCs in all seven districts, along with the proposed Article 371 framework, reflects the Centre’s evolving governance model tailored to the Union Territory’s unique geography and strategic importance.
The measures, if implemented, will significantly enhance public participation and strengthen democratic governance across Ladakh, they added.
