KD NEWS SERVICE
LEH-LADAKH, Nov 1:
With the five-year term of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, coming to an end on October 30, 2025, the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has issued an official memorandum assigning the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, to oversee the council’s administrative affairs until fresh elections are held and a new council is constituted.
The order, issued by the Department of Law and Justice, cites the ongoing process of creating new districts and redrawing council constituencies as the primary reasons for deferring elections at this stage. Additionally, the administration noted that the implementation of the recent amendment to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997—which mandates one-third reservation for women in the councils—requires careful planning and administrative restructuring. Conducting elections under the old framework, it said, could lead to “representational anomalies and administrative inconsistencies.”
The memorandum, bearing reference number LD/UTL/LAHDC/2025/2231A-35 and dated 30 October 2025, formally entrusts Shri Romil Singh Donk, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Leh, with the responsibility of administering the affairs of LAHDC-Leh effective from 31 October 2025. The arrangement will continue “until a new Council is constituted following fresh elections.”
The document emphasizes that this step has been taken to ensure the effective discharge of functions and continuity of governance in Leh district, which has been under the elected council’s management since the last election held on October 26, 2020.
The memorandum was signed by Qureshi Tariq Mahmood, Consultant (Law) in the Department of Law and Justice, on behalf of the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Copies of the order have been forwarded to all Administrative Secretaries of UT Ladakh, the Deputy Commissioner Leh, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and the Chief Secretary for information and compliance.
The decision effectively places the district administration at the helm of local governance in Leh for the interim period. The move is seen as a transitional measure aimed at facilitating upcoming structural reforms within the LAHDC framework and ensuring a smoother implementation of women’s reservation in future elections.
The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, established under the LAHDC Act of 1995, plays a key role in the governance and development of Leh district. It oversees planning, resource allocation, and implementation of welfare and infrastructure projects tailored to local needs.
With the Deputy Commissioner now temporarily in charge, the administration has assured that day-to-day governance and developmental works in Leh will continue without interruption until the electoral and structural adjustments are completed.
