Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils
In one line: The Leh and Kargil hill councils are statutory bodies under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act, 1997, with development but no law-making powers.
What they are
The councils were created under a law of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir. They plan and carry out local development in Leh and Kargil districts. They are not constitutional bodies and are not under the Sixth Schedule. A 2025 presidential regulation amended the 1997 Act to reserve one-third of the seats in the councils for women.
Why they are in the news
The MHA framework asks whether the councils should get constitutional status, and how their powers should be divided with the new UT-level body. Ladakh's groups see the division of powers as a key unresolved issue.
Where to go next
- Article 240 and presidential regulations
- Sixth Schedule
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils in the news
- Centre's Ladakh framework gives the L-G final authority over laws of a new elected body 21 October 2026
The local bodies the new body must sit beside
- Ladakh notifies autonomous hill development councils for all seven districts 4 September 2026
What Ladakh's hill councils are and what they do
Previous-year questions on this
- 2026 · GS2 · 15 marks How far has the Indian federal framework been successful in accommodating regional and cultural diversities? Highlight the role of asymmetric federalism and suggest measures to make dispute…
- 2026 · GS3 · 10 marks Ladakh is strategically located between China and Pakistan. As a measure to win hearts and minds of locals, discuss the Border Area Development Programmes (BADP) by the Central Government and civic…
- 2022 · GS2 · 10 marks To what extent, in your opinion, has the decentralisation of power in India changed the governance landscape at the grassroots?
- 2015 · Prelims The provisions in Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule in the Constitution of India are made in order to (a) protect the interests of Scheduled Tribes (b) determine the boundaries between States (c)…