Jammu, Oct 20, 2026 13:18 IST — Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Tuesday notified a regulation allowing Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils to be set up in all eight districts of the Union Territory, including the newly created Sankoo district.
The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2026, was promulgated by President Droupadi Murmu following approval from the Union Cabinet on October 14.
Saxena noted that the regulation was implemented swiftly within a span of six days. It received promulgation from the President on October 16 and officially took effect with its notification on October 19, 2026.
Expressing satisfaction over the development, Saxena shared in a social media statement that the newly enacted regulation paves the way for extended council coverage across the region.
The updated framework modifies the constituency counts within each Hill Development Council. Previously fixed at 26 seats, the councils will now feature a scaled structure ranging from a minimum of seven to a maximum of 24 seats.
Additionally, the rules incorporate provisions for four members to be nominated from among women and unrepresented communities, a step designed to foster greater inclusion and public participation in local administration.
Saxena expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their support of the regulatory updates, emphasizing that the changes will deepen grassroots democracy and enhance local governance.
This administrative expansion builds upon Ladakh's recent redrawing of its district boundaries. Saxena previously approved the formation of five new districts—Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar, and Drass—on April 27, raising the regional tally from two to seven, with formal inaugurations following on April 30. Sankoo was subsequently announced as the eighth district on October 16.