A Lieutenant Governor and two Hill Councils: how Ladakh is administered

Background

The way Ladakh is administered came into view again as the Prime Minister inaugurated a set of development projects across the Union Territory, with the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh at the event. The Union Territory is headed by a Lieutenant Governor, and the senior officials of its administration include its chief secretary. Ladakh also has two Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils, one for Leh and one for Kargil, each headed by a Chief Executive Councillor. The Ministry of Home Affairs records that its dialogue with Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance, through a High-Powered Committee, has increased reservations for Ladakh scheduled tribe from 45% to 84%, provided 1/3 women reservations in the councils and declared Bhoti and Purgi as official languages. When Ladakh hosted the ice sports leg of the Khelo India Winter Games at Leh, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh opened the Games, and the Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil was present at the opening ceremony; that leg was organised by the Youth Services and Sports department of the Union Territory of Ladakh under the supervision of the Sports Authority of India.