Ladakh: Administration and Politics
Under the Act
- Section 58: the President administers Ladakh through an LG appointed under Article 239, assisted by advisers appointed by the Centre. The President may make regulations under Article 240 for peace, progress and good government, which can repeal or amend laws applying to Ladakh.
- Ladakh has no legislature, no Chief Minister and no Council of Ministers. It elects 1 Lok Sabha MP.
- The Hill Councils work alongside: LAHDC Leh (Act of 1995, first elections 28 August 1995) and LAHDC Kargil (2003). Each has 30 councillors (26 elected, 4 nominated).
Changes since 2019
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 26 Aug 2024 | Home Minister announced 5 new districts: Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, Changthang. Ladakh now has 7 districts. |
| 3 Jun 2025 | Four Regulations notified: Reservation, Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment, Official Languages, Hill Councils. |
| 24 Sep 2025 | Protests in Leh left 4 dead; activist Sonam Wangchuk was detained under the NSA (revoked 14 Mar 2026). |
| Oct 2025 onward | MHA talks with the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). |
| 13 Mar 2026 | V.K. Saxena takes over as LG. |
The June 2025 Regulations
- Domicile: 15 years' residence (counted from 31 October 2019), or 7 years' study with Class 10 or 12 exams in Ladakh, or children of Central employees who served 10 years. Spouses and children of domiciles are included.
- Reservation in jobs: up to 85 per cent (ST 80%, border-area residents 4%, SC 1%), plus 10% EWS.
- Women: at least one-third of seats in the Hill Councils.
- Official languages: English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti and Purgi.
Demands and talks
- Demands: statehood, Sixth Schedule protection for land, jobs and culture, a Public Service Commission, two Lok Sabha seats.
- The Centre set up a High-Powered Committee (chaired by the MoS Home). In 2026 the Centre spoke of a "customised" Article 371-type model, an elected UT-level body and Hill Councils for all 7 districts, and called statehood a "long-term aspiration".
Keep practising
Notes are only half the work. Test yourself with questions and discuss doubts with other aspirants.
Prepared for exam revision from standard sources, official publications and the Census. Figures and recent developments change, so check official sources before relying on them. Found a mistake? Tell us.