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Ladakh Administration to Set Up Autonomous Hill Development Councils for All 7 Districts Under Article 371

PolityCORE
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
13 Jul 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:Article 371Section 3(1) LAHDC Act5 new districts7 total districtsDistricts: Drass, Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar
Bodies:Ladakh AdministrationChief Secretary Ashish Kundra
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.Ladakh administration announced AHDCs for all 7 districts, expanding from the existing 2 (Leh and Kargil).

2.Decision follows creation of 5 new districts in April 2026: Drass, Sham, Nubra, Changthang and Zanskar.

3.A new UT-level body under Article 371 is being created with legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

Ladakh administration has decided to set up Autonomous Hill Development Councils (AHDCs) for each of its seven districts, extending the model previously limited to Leh and Kargil. This major step towards democratic decentralisation and grassroots governance also involves creating a new Union Territory-level body under Article 371 of the Constitution, marking 2026 as a watershed year for Ladakh's governance framework.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

New Districts Created5 (Drass, Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar)
Total Districts in Ladakh7
Constitutional ProvisionArticle 371
Governing ActLAHDC Act, Section 3(1)
Chief SecretaryAshish Kundra

1-Minute Revision

  • ›New Districts Created: 5 (Drass, Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar)
  • ›Total Districts in Ladakh: 7
  • ›Target this Data: 5 new districts (Drass, Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar) created in April 2026; total 7 districts in Ladakh.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Ladakh Administration / Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Article 371 of the Constitution; Section 3(1) of the LAHDC Act.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which Act provides for the constitution of an Autonomous Hill Development Council in each district of Ladakh?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements:

1. The Ladakh administration announced setting up Autonomous Hill Development Councils for all 7 districts.

2. The new UT-level body under Article 371 will have only advisory powers.

3. The decision was announced by Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

How many new districts were created in Ladakh in April 2026, which led to the expansion of AHDCs?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary objective of setting up Autonomous Hill Development Councils in all districts of Ladakh?

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