KD NEWS SERVICE
LEH-LADAKH, Oct 21: The Ladakh administration has notified a total of 100 elected constituencies across eight Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs), including newly created councils, under the amended legal framework governing the local self-government institutions in the Union Territory.
The constituency allocation has been formalised through a notification issued by the Revenue Department of the Union Territory Secretariat under Section 4(1) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997, following the enactment of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2026.
As per the notification, Leh has been allocated the highest number of elected constituencies at 22, followed by Kargil with 21. Sankoo has been allotted 13 constituencies, while Changthang will have 10. Nubra, Sham and Zanskar have been allocated nine constituencies each, while Drass has been assigned seven.
The distribution takes the total number of elected constituencies across the eight councils to 100, establishing the constituency strength of the respective autonomous hill development bodies under the amended legal framework.
Eight councils to have 100 elected constituencies
The allocation notified by the administration is as follows:
Leh: 22 constituencies
Kargil: 21 constituencies
Sankoo: 13 constituencies
Changthang: 10 constituencies
Nubra: 9 constituencies
Sham: 9 constituencies
Zanskar: 9 constituencies
Drass: 7 constituencies
The notification reflects the revised administrative arrangement following the creation of additional Hill Development Councils in Ladakh. The administration has taken into account the establishment of these councils through notifications issued on September 3 and October 16, 2026.
Amendment provides legal basis for revised structure
The notification has been issued under Section 4(1) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997, read in the context of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2026.
The amendment provides the revised legal framework under which the constituency strength of the councils has been determined. By formally specifying the number of elected constituencies for each council, the Revenue Department has laid down an important basis for their constitution under the amended provisions.
The distribution also gives effect to the administration’s decision to account for the newly created councils within the existing institutional framework governing autonomous hill development bodies in Ladakh.
Constituency allocation to guide constitution of councils
According to the order, the notified number of elected constituencies will serve as the basis for constituting the respective councils, subject to the provisions of the amended Act and the rules framed under it.
The notification is an important administrative step in formalising the structure of the eight councils and determining their elected representation. The constituency strength specified for each council will provide the statutory basis for proceeding with their constitution in accordance with the applicable legal provisions.
The revised arrangement brings Leh, Kargil, Sankoo, Changthang, Nubra, Sham, Zanskar and Drass within a common framework of 100 elected constituencies, while retaining a different number of constituencies for each council.
With the notification now issued, the administration has formally specified the elected constituency strength of all eight councils. Their constitution and related processes will remain governed by the amended Act and the rules applicable to the autonomous hill development institutions in the Union Territory.
