India

NEW DELHI: Since environmentalist-activist Sonam Wangchuk began his indefinite fast here in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) campaign against alleged irregularities in NEET, political developments have moved at a fast pace in his own backyard, Ladakh. The Ladakh administration on Monday announced its decision to constitute autonomous hill development councils for each of its seven districts, barely 10 days after it had, along with the Centre, convinced the Ladakh representatives to finally sign the minutes of May 22 meeting with the home ministry, in which Wangchuk was one of the key negotiators.On both the occasions — July 3, when the minutes of May 22 meeting were finalised, and Monday, when the councils for every Ladakh district were announced — Wangchuk was here in the Capital, fasting.Announcing the move to set up autonomous councils in the newly-created districts of Nubra, Changthang, Sham, Zanskar and Drass, in addition to Leh and Kargil that already have these councils, Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra told a press conference in Leh that it is a “major step towards democratic decentralisation and grassroots governance”.\The seven councils will have full powers set out in the LAHDC Act. “The new districts shall get the same authority that Leh has held since 1995 and Kargil since 2003, not a reduced version of it,” he underlined. The councils will have authority over land ownership and land allotment within the district. They will regulate recruitment and promotions for district cadre posts.The councils — which will exist alongside Panchayati Raj institutions — shall hold a dedicated council fund and can levy taxes and fees. Each new district will have a revenue base of its own and formulate development plans. They will handle health, education and tourism, along with local infrastructure and social welfare schemes.Though the May 22 talks between Union home ministry officials and Ladakh bodies Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) here had witnessed a breakthrough with the two sides agreeing in principle on creation of elected bodies at UT-level and district level with “full legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers” and Constitutional safeguards under Article 371, the Ladakh representatives later objected to the minutes of the meeting omitting the assurances on Article 371 and control over bureaucracy. These concerns were finally ironed out at a meeting in Leh on June 3, leading to signing of the minutes.Kundra on Monday told TOI that the forthcoming talks shall focus on the structure of the UT-level elected body as well as the scope of safeguards under Article 371. Both sides are finalising their respective drafts in this regard, and a date will eventually be set to discuss them, he said.The chief secretary said the model of UT and district level bodies proposed in Ladakh has no parallel elsewhere in the country and will draw on the best features of other arrangements. The UT will have elected representation at the village, district and Union Territory levels, he said.“Some rebalancing of powers between the councils and the UT body may follow,” said Kundra.Section 3(1) of the LAHDC Act already provides for a council for every district, to be constituted from a date the government notifies in the gazette. Only amendments to the Act where required and a delimitation of constituencies remain, according to Kundra.Five of the seven Ladakh districts are dominated by Buddhists, while Drass and Kargil have a significant Muslim population.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’I Will Bow At Every Door’: Narottam Mishra Gets Emotional, Chokes Up At BJP’s Datia Bypoll Rally“Putin Pays Close Attention To PM Modi”: Poland Highlights India’s Global Power Amid Global CrisesBengal Government Backs Airport Mosque Relocation, Cites Security And Runway Expansion NeedsSuvendu Govt Replaces Mamata’s ‘Khela Hobey Divas’ With ‘Ayushman Divas’Man Claiming To Be Ex-US Navy Officer Held At India-Nepal Border Without Travel Documents’I Am Not Gandhiji’: Kerala Double Murder Convict Shows No Remorse In CourtUS Inmate Matthew Aaron VanDyke Seeks Special Diet, Cooking Permission Inside Tihar JailMission $500 Billion: India, US Push To Deepen Trade Ties As Deal Nears CompletionMission $500 Billion: India, US Push To Deepen Trade Ties As Deal Nears CompletionCDS To Present Theatre Command Roadmap As India Moves Closer To Military Reforms123Photostories5 ways meditation can quietly transform you from the insideAbhishek Sharma vs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs Yuvraj Singh: Who delivered Wimbledon 2026’s most iconic suit moment?From opening up about problems in their married life and his battle with anxiety to Yuvika’s emotional breakdown: Prince Narula and Yuvika Chaudhary get candid5 signs you’re not in love; it’s obsessionWhy you can still cringe over something you said 10 years ago… but forget why you walked into the kitchen just seconds laterJanhvi Kapoor’s 24K gold corset to black embroidered lehenga is wedding guest fashion at its boldest10 beautiful baby names that symbolise new life and fresh beginningsAkshay Kumar’s go-to high-protein snack at 58 is packed with fiber and contains no chilliJuly New Moon 2026: Affirmations for your birth dateDo your knees hurt before it rains? Here’s why osteoarthritis pain gets worse during the monsoon, according to doctors123Hot PicksWWE Raw PreviewRajasthan PG admissionsSouth China SeaITR filingNepal protestLucknow-Kanpur ExpresswayEPFO amnesty schemeTaylor Swift and Travis KelceE20 petrol newsTop TrendingSamantha BuschMadurai AccidentITR filingFIFA World Cup 2026Karnataka Pakistani ArrestedGhaziabad Mall Rape MurderDelhi MurderTG TET 2026 resultGurgaon EncounterIran war

Vamsikrishna2 hours ago03 mins mins

$NEW DELHI: Since environmentalist-activist Sonam Wangchuk began his indefinite fast here in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) campaign against alleged irregularities in NEET, political developments have moved at a fast pace in his own backyard, Ladakh. The Ladakh administration on Monday announced its decision to constitute autonomous hill development councils for each of its seven districts, barely 10 days after it had, along with the Centre, convinced the Ladakh representatives to finally sign the minutes of May 22 meeting with the home ministry, in which Wangchuk was one of the key negotiators.On both the occasions — July 3, when the minutes of May 22 meeting were finalised, and Monday, when the councils for every Ladakh district were announced — Wangchuk was here in the Capital, fasting.Announcing the move to set up autonomous councils in the newly-created districts of Nubra, Changthang, Sham, Zanskar and Drass, in addition to Leh and Kargil that already have these councils, Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra told a press conference in Leh that it is a “major step towards democratic decentralisation and grassroots governance”.\The seven councils will have full powers set out in the LAHDC Act. “The new districts shall get the same authority that Leh has held since 1995 and Kargil since 2003, not a reduced version of it,” he underlined. The councils will have authority over land ownership and land allotment within the district. They will regulate recruitment and promotions for district cadre posts.The councils — which will exist alongside Panchayati Raj institutions — shall hold a dedicated council fund and can levy taxes and fees. Each new district will have a revenue base of its own and formulate development plans. They will handle health, education and tourism, along with local infrastructure and social welfare schemes.Though the May 22 talks between Union home ministry officials and Ladakh bodies Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) here had witnessed a breakthrough with the two sides agreeing in principle on creation of elected bodies at UT-level and district level with “full legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers” and Constitutional safeguards under Article 371, the Ladakh representatives later objected to the minutes of the meeting omitting the assurances on Article 371 and control over bureaucracy. These concerns were finally ironed out at a meeting in Leh on June 3, leading to signing of the minutes.Kundra on Monday told TOI that the forthcoming talks shall focus on the structure of the UT-level elected body as well as the scope of safeguards under Article 371. Both sides are finalising their respective drafts in this regard, and a date will eventually be set to discuss them, he said.The chief secretary said the model of UT and district level bodies proposed in Ladakh has no parallel elsewhere in the country and will draw on the best features of other arrangements. The UT will have elected representation at the village, district and Union Territory levels, he said.“Some rebalancing of powers between the councils and the UT body may follow,” said Kundra.Section 3(1) of the LAHDC Act already provides for a council for every district, to be constituted from a date the government notifies in the gazette. Only amendments to the Act where required and a delimitation of constituencies remain, according to Kundra.Five of the seven Ladakh districts are dominated by Buddhists, while Drass and Kargil have a significant Muslim population.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’I Will Bow At Every Door’: Narottam Mishra Gets Emotional, Chokes Up At BJP’s Datia Bypoll Rally“Putin Pays Close Attention To PM Modi”: Poland Highlights India’s Global Power Amid Global CrisesBengal Government Backs Airport Mosque Relocation, Cites Security And Runway Expansion NeedsSuvendu Govt Replaces Mamata’s ‘Khela Hobey Divas’ With ‘Ayushman Divas’Man Claiming To Be Ex-US Navy Officer Held At India-Nepal Border Without Travel Documents’I Am Not Gandhiji’: Kerala Double Murder Convict Shows No Remorse In CourtUS Inmate Matthew Aaron VanDyke Seeks Special Diet, Cooking Permission Inside Tihar JailMission 0 Billion: India, US Push To Deepen Trade Ties As Deal Nears CompletionMission 0 Billion: India, US Push To Deepen Trade Ties As Deal Nears CompletionCDS To Present Theatre Command Roadmap As India Moves Closer To Military Reforms123Photostories5 ways meditation can quietly transform you from the insideAbhishek Sharma vs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs Yuvraj Singh: Who delivered Wimbledon 2026’s most iconic suit moment?From opening up about problems in their married life and his battle with anxiety to Yuvika’s emotional breakdown: Prince Narula and Yuvika Chaudhary get candid5 signs you’re not in love; it’s obsessionWhy you can still cringe over something you said 10 years ago… but forget why you walked into the kitchen just seconds laterJanhvi Kapoor’s 24K gold corset to black embroidered lehenga is wedding guest fashion at its boldest10 beautiful baby names that symbolise new life and fresh beginningsAkshay Kumar’s go-to high-protein snack at 58 is packed with fiber and contains no chilliJuly New Moon 2026: Affirmations for your birth dateDo your knees hurt before it rains? Here’s why osteoarthritis pain gets worse during the monsoon, according to doctors123Hot PicksWWE Raw PreviewRajasthan PG admissionsSouth China SeaITR filingNepal protestLucknow-Kanpur ExpresswayEPFO amnesty schemeTaylor Swift and Travis KelceE20 petrol newsTop TrendingSamantha BuschMadurai AccidentITR filingFIFA World Cup 2026Karnataka Pakistani ArrestedGhaziabad Mall Rape MurderDelhi MurderTG TET 2026 resultGurgaon EncounterIran war$

Ladakh to get autonomous hill councils in all seven districts

NEW DELHI: Since environmentalist-activist Sonam Wangchuk began his indefinite fast here in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) campaign against alleged irregularities in NEET, political developments have moved at a fast pace in his own backyard, Ladakh. The Ladakh administration on Monday announced its decision to constitute autonomous hill development councils for each of its seven districts, barely 10 days after it had, along with the Centre, convinced the Ladakh representatives to finally sign the minutes of May 22 meeting with the home ministry, in which Wangchuk was one of the key negotiators.On both the occasions — July 3, when the minutes of May 22 meeting were finalised, and Monday, when the councils for every Ladakh district were announced — Wangchuk was here in the Capital, fasting.Announcing the move to set up autonomous councils in the newly-created districts of Nubra, Changthang, Sham, Zanskar and Drass, in addition to Leh and Kargil that already have these councils, Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra told a press conference in Leh that it is a “major step towards democratic decentralisation and grassroots governance”.\The seven councils will have full powers set out in the LAHDC Act. “The new districts shall get the same authority that Leh has held since 1995 and Kargil since 2003, not a reduced version of it,” he underlined. The councils will have authority over land ownership and land allotment within the district. They will regulate recruitment and promotions for district cadre posts.The councils — which will exist alongside Panchayati Raj institutions — shall hold a dedicated council fund and can levy taxes and fees. Each new district will have a revenue base of its own and formulate development plans. They will handle health, education and tourism, along with local infrastructure and social welfare schemes.Though the May 22 talks between Union home ministry officials and Ladakh bodies Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) here had witnessed a breakthrough with the two sides agreeing in principle on creation of elected bodies at UT-level and district level with “full legislative, executive, financial and administrative powers” and Constitutional safeguards under Article 371, the Ladakh representatives later objected to the minutes of the meeting omitting the assurances on Article 371 and control over bureaucracy. These concerns were finally ironed out at a meeting in Leh on June 3, leading to signing of the minutes.Kundra on Monday told TOI that the forthcoming talks shall focus on the structure of the UT-level elected body as well as the scope of safeguards under Article 371. Both sides are finalising their respective drafts in this regard, and a date will eventually be set to discuss them, he said.The chief secretary said the model of UT and district level bodies proposed in Ladakh has no parallel elsewhere in the country and will draw on the best features of other arrangements. The UT will have elected representation at the village, district and Union Territory levels, he said.“Some rebalancing of powers between the councils and the UT body may follow,” said Kundra.Section 3(1) of the LAHDC Act already provides for a council for every district, to be constituted from a date the government notifies in the gazette. Only amendments to the Act where required and a delimitation of constituencies remain, according to Kundra.Five of the seven Ladakh districts are dominated by Buddhists, while Drass and Kargil have a significant Muslim population.

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