India
oi-Oneindia Staff
Days before Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits Ladakh, the Union Territory (UT) administration has approved the creation of five new districts, a decision the government says is meant to improve access to administration in remote areas.
Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena announced the move, calling it a step to take governance closer to people. The proposed districts Zanskar and Drass in Kargil, and Sham, Nubra and Changthang in Leh will increase the total number of districts from two to seven.
Ladakh’s administration approved five new districts—Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang—increasing the total to seven to improve access to services in remote, sparsely populated areas, ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit and scheduled talks.
Of the five new districts, Nubra is expected to focus on tourism infrastructure given its strategic location and high altitude terrain, while Sham is aimed at strengthening local governance in its region. Changthang has been identified for preserving ancient tribal communities along with improving border infrastructure, and Zanskar is set to prioritise better road connectivity along with tourism development. Drass, known for its strategic importance, is expected to see infrastructure expansion with a focus on supporting the Army presence in the area.
Officials said the broader objective of the exercise is to bring governance closer to people living in remote areas, generate employment opportunities and improve delivery of public services. The decision, which received approval from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in August 2024, was formally notified in April 2026.
The announcement comes just before Shah’s two day visit starting April 30, during which he is expected to review development work and meet local representatives. Another round of talks between the Centre and Ladakhi groups is scheduled in May.
Small population, long distances shape decision
The move is also being seen in the context of Ladakh’s low population and the way people are spread across the region. As per the Census of India 2011, Ladakh has a population of 2.74 lakh, with 1.33 lakh in Leh and 1.40 lakh in Kargil. Estimates now place the population at around 3 lakh.
For a region of this size, the number is very low. Villages are far apart and travel between them can take hours, sometimes days. Weather conditions also affect movement for several months in a year.
Officials say having more districts will make it easier for people to reach government offices and access services without travelling long distances. In many areas, people currently have to depend on distant district headquarters for basic administrative work.
The present move is linked to the larger shift that began in 2019, when the former state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised.
For decades, Jammu and Kashmir operated under Article 370, which gave it special status with its own constitution and autonomy over internal matters. Ladakh, one of its three regions, often saw demands from Leh for direct governance, arguing that its needs were different from the Kashmir Valley.
On August 5, 2019, the Centre revoked Article 370 and passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. From October 31, 2019, the state was split into two Union Territories. Jammu and Kashmir became a UT with a legislature, while Ladakh was created as a UT without a legislature, placing it under direct central administration through a Lieutenant Governor.
The change addressed a long standing demand in Leh for Union Territory status, but it also opened up new questions about representation and safeguards.
Demography and regional differences
Ladakh’s population remains small not just in size but also in density. Spread across over 59,000 sq km, it is among the least densely populated regions in India.
The two main regions also differ in composition. Leh has a Buddhist majority, while Kargil has a predominantly Muslim population, largely Shia. These differences have shaped political responses to the 2019 changes. While Leh largely supported Union Territory status, Kargil expressed concerns over loss of political linkage with the Kashmir Valley.
Since 2019, local groups have raised demands related to land, jobs and political representation. Two key groups, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), have been part of discussions with the Centre.
They have been seeking statehood, inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, safeguards in recruitment for locals, more political representation and the setting up of a separate public service commission.
The LAB, led by leaders such as Chering Dorjay and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, has been working with the KDA to take these demands to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The agitation saw a flashpoint on September 24, 2025, when protests in Leh turned violent. Police opened fire after clashes involving stone pelting and arson, leaving four people dead. Following the incident, authorities imposed a curfew and detained at least 50 people. Protesters had set fire to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office, the office of the chief executive councillor, and a police vehicle. Several people, including police personnel, were injured in the clashes.
Wangchuk was later detained under the National Security Act and shifted to a jail in Rajasthan. He was released on March 14 this year.
The next round of talks is scheduled for May 22 in New Delhi.
While the administration has presented the creation of new districts as a governance measure, leaders from LAB and KDA have said that administrative changes alone are not enough. They have been pushing for legal and constitutional safeguards.
The increase in districts is expected to change how administration functions on the ground, especially in far off areas such as Zanskar and Changthang, where access has long been a challenge. For the government, it is a step to improve service delivery in a region where distance often matters more than population size.
At the same time, Ladakh’s political future is still being shaped through ongoing talks with the Centre. The creation of new districts may ease administrative gaps, but questions around representation, safeguards and autonomy remain central to the discussions ahead.
