Leh district in Ladakh has found itself without any elected local representatives since October 31, 2025. The five-year term of its influential hill council recently concluded, and officials indicate that fresh elections for this crucial local body will likely remain on hold until decisive progress is made in ongoing discussions between various civil society groups and the Central government. Currently, Ladakh’s Independent MP, Mohammad Haneefa, stands as the region’s sole elected voice.
These critical talks between civil society leaders and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials resumed on October 22nd. This meeting took place a month after a tragic incident where four individuals, including a Kargil war veteran, lost their lives during police action against protestors advocating for Statehood. The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), representing Ladakh’s two districts, are at the forefront of these discussions concerning the region’s future.
The government has tasked these groups with drafting a comprehensive framework, including a roadmap for robust constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, ahead of their next meeting. While a date for this subsequent session has yet to be announced, both the LAB and KDA are actively consulting constitutional and legal experts. Their primary aim is to strengthen their case for long-standing demands, which include full Statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, granting special tribal status.
During the October 22nd meeting, MHA officials suggested that special provisions, as outlined in Article 371 of the Constitution, could be explored for Ladakh, offering a potential pathway for unique regional protections.
An order issued by the Ladakh administration on October 31st officially postponed the elections, citing several reasons. These include the ongoing process of creating new districts and the subsequent necessity to redraw the boundaries of council areas and constituencies. Additionally, the administration emphasized the need to implement recent amendments to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC) Act of 1997, which mandate a one-third reservation for women. The order concluded that conducting elections for a new LAHDC in Leh is currently ‘not practicable,’ as it would result in ‘representational anomalies and administrative inconsistencies.’
Until a new council can be formed through fresh elections, the order confirmed that the Deputy Commissioner will temporarily assume all functions of the dissolved hill council. It’s worth noting that the creation of new districts was announced in 2024, and the women’s reservation mandate was officially notified on June 3rd of this year.
Konchok Stanzin, who previously served as a councillor for Chushul, a region bordering China, highlighted the current void: ‘As of now, apart from a single MP, Leh has no public representatives whatsoever.’
Stanzin expressed deep concern, stating, ‘This situation is especially detrimental for residents in the border areas near China. Should they face any issues, they are now forced to travel hundreds of kilometers to the district headquarters in Leh city, a journey many lack the resources to undertake. As a councillor, I was directly addressing their needs, from connectivity and education to health and livelihood concerns.’
He further emphasized the council’s significance, noting that it is authorized to make decisions across 40 different functions, with each councillor having access to a substantial development fund of ₹1.5 crore.
The last elections for the 30-member LAHDC, Leh, took place in 2020, where the Bharatiya Janata Party secured 15 seats and the Congress won nine. The remaining four councillors are appointed directly by the Lieutenant-Governor.
Meanwhile, the LAHDC for Kargil district was established in 2023 and is set to complete its term in 2028.
The Leh Hill Council had been allocated a significant budget of ₹255 crore by the MHA for the 2025-26 fiscal year. This entire situation stems from 2019, when Ladakh was reorganized into a Union Territory without a Legislative Assembly, following the parliamentary abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and its subsequent bifurcation.
Leh district, according to the 2011 Census, has a population of 1.33 lakh and spans an expansive area of approximately 45,100 square kilometers. It is renowned as one of India’s coldest and highest inhabited regions.