Ladakh announces Panchayat polls for Nov 21, first since becoming Union Territory

This marks Ladakh's first panchayat election since it became a Union Territory in 2019, alongside multiple administrative changes to strengthen grassroots governance.

In Short

• Ladakh to hold first Panchayat elections on November 21 since UT formation
• Election process to complete before Nov 30, Model Code of Conduct in force
• Five new tehsils created, raising total to 37, to strengthen grassroots governance

The State Election Commission of Ladakh has announced elections for all Gram Panchayats, known as Panchayat Halqas, across the Union Territory, which will be held on November 21. The polls will be the first panchayat elections in Ladakh since it became a separate Union Territory in 2019.

According to the election notification on Wednesday, the formal notification will be issued next week and the entire election process, including the declaration of results, will be completed before November 30.

The last panchayat elections in Ladakh were held in November 2018, when the region was part of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. No panchayat elections have been held since Ladakh was carved out as a separate Union Territory under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

With the announcement of the Panchayat polls, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect, placing restrictions on political parties, candidates and the ruling administration regarding campaign practices, the maintenance of communal harmony, the use of religious places for election-related activities and the misuse of official machinery.

LADAKH INCREASES HILL COUNCIL SEATS FROM 52 TO 100

In a separate development aimed at strengthening grassroots democracy, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena announced that 100 constituencies had been officially notified for the Union Territory's eight Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils under the LAHDC (Amendment) Regulation, 2026.

In a post on X, Saxena described the move as a "historic milestone for grassroots democracy in Ladakh", saying it would nearly double the number of councillors from the existing 52 to 100.

Under the revised structure, Leh will have 22 constituencies, Kargil 21, Sankoo 13 and Changthang 10. Nubra, Sham and Zanskar will have nine constituencies each, while Drass will have seven.

According to the Lieutenant Governor, the allocation is based on panchayat halqas and municipal wards as foundational units, taking into account both the elector population and geographical area.

Saxena said the increased number of seats would enhance local representation, strengthen grassroots democracy and promote inclusive governance across Ladakh.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESTRUCTURING ACROSS LADAKH

The election announcement comes amid a series of administrative changes aimed at strengthening grassroots governance and improving access to public services in the region. These include the creation of five new tehsils, the reorganisation of revenue villages, the delegation of additional administrative powers in Durbuk and the establishment of Sankoo as Ladakh's eighth district.

Las week, the Ladakh administration notified the creation of five new tehsils and the reorganisation of 31 revenue villages across five districts of the Union Territory.

Lieutenant Governor Saxena announced the decision on X, saying the move would strengthen grassroots administration and improve public service delivery. The creation of the new tehsils takes their total number in Ladakh to 37.

In Sham district, the newly constituted Aryan Valley tehsil will comprise four revenue villages -- Dha-Bema, which will serve as its headquarters, Hanu, Garkone and Darchiks.

In Kargil district, Sodh tehsil will comprise eight revenue villages, with Yourbaltak as its headquarters. The villages are Yourbaltak, Akchamal, Apatee, Tumail, Barchey, Silmoo, Lalung and Chulichan.

In Zanskar district, Phey tehsil will comprise nine revenue villages: Rangdum, Phey, Remala-Skagam, Hamiling, Abran, Akshow, Atting, Rantaksha and Tungri. Phey will serve as the tehsil headquarters.

In Drass district, Thasgam tehsil will include four revenue villages — Thasgam, Jasgund, Kharboo and Shamisha — with Thasgam as its headquarters.

In Changthang district, Himya tehsil will comprise six revenue villages: Tukla, Liktse, Tarchit, Kungyam, Teri and Himya. Its headquarters will be located at Himya.

The notification also provides for the reconstitution of certain existing tehsils. The specified revenue villages will cease to be part of their current tehsils and become part of the newly constituted units once the notification takes effect.

In a separate decision, the Ladakh administration has entrusted the powers of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Durbuk, to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Durbuk.

The move follows a long-standing public demand and is intended to strengthen local administration, improve residents' access to administrative services and ensure the timely delivery of public services in the area.

The administrative restructuring also includes the creation of Sankoo as Ladakh's eighth district, fulfilling a long-standing demand of residents of the Sankoo area in Kargil district.

Earlier, on April 27, Saxena had approved the issuance of a notification for the creation of five new districts -- Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass. The proposal was aimed at increasing the number of districts in Ladakh from two to seven.

With Sankoo now announced as the eighth district, the administration has continued its efforts to reorganise the Union Territory's administrative structure.

Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019 following the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The announcement of the panchayat election schedule, alongside the creation of new administrative units and the expansion of district-level governance, marks a significant development in the region's local administration.

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