SRINAGAR: In a major push towards decentralised governance, the Ladakh administration on Monday announced that Autonomous Hill Development Councils (AHDCs) will be established in all seven districts of the Union Territory, extending the existing system of elected local governance beyond Leh and Kargil.
Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra said the move marks a significant step in strengthening grassroots democracy following the creation of five new districts—Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass—in April this year. Until now, elected Hill Councils existed only in Leh and Kargil.
Addressing a press conference in Leh, Kundra said the administration has decided to constitute an Autonomous Hill Development Council in every district, adding that the proposal is aimed at ensuring equitable political representation and greater local participation in governance across Ladakh.
He said the legal framework for constituting councils in every district already exists under Section 3(1) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Act. The administration now needs to carry out constituency delimitation and make necessary amendments to the Act before elections can be held for the newly proposed councils.
According to Kundra, the councils in the five new districts will enjoy the same statutory powers currently vested in the Leh and Kargil Hill Councils, without any dilution of authority.
He said the councils will have control over matters related to land ownership and land allotment within their respective districts, while also exercising powers over recruitment and promotion of district cadre employees, ensuring that employment-related decisions are taken by locally elected bodies.
Each council will also have its own dedicated Council Fund and the authority to levy taxes, fees and other charges as permitted under the law, giving districts an independent source of revenue.
The councils will prepare district-specific development plans and oversee implementation of programmes in key sectors such as health, education, tourism, infrastructure and social welfare, allowing local administrations to prioritise development according to the needs of their respective regions.
Alongside the expansion of district-level councils, the administration has also proposed creating a Union Territory-level governing institution under a customised framework based on Article 371 of the Constitution.
Kundra said the proposed body would function above the seven Hill Councils and exercise legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers, describing it as a first-of-its-kind governance model designed specifically for Ladakh.
He said the structure, powers and composition of the proposed institution would be finalised through consultations between representatives of Ladakh and the Central government. As part of the process, certain administrative powers may be redistributed between the district councils and the proposed UT-level body.
The Chief Secretary, however, emphasised that the establishment of Autonomous Hill Development Councils in all seven districts is the first concrete step towards the broader governance framework being envisioned for the Union Territory.
He also clarified that Panchayati Raj Institutions will continue to function alongside the Hill Councils, ensuring elected representation at the village, district and Union Territory levels.
