Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Monday approved a notification to create five new districts in the Union Territory.

The region currently has only two districts: Leh and Kargil. The five new districts will be Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass.

Saxena said on social media that the decision was taken to fulfil “the aspirations and long pending demand of the people of Ladakh”.

The decision, which had been cleared by the Ministry of Home Affairs in August 2024, aligned with the vision of a “developed and prosperous Ladakh”, the lieutenant governor added.

The announcement comes amid long-standing demands from residents for statehood for Ladakh.

In August 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the state into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The lack of a legislature in Ladakh has stoked fears among the Ladakhi people over their land, natural resources and livelihoods. They also fear the region’s cultural identity and fragile ecosystem are in danger.

By 2022, the residents had four demands: statehood to Ladakh, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts and the rollout of a recruitment process and a separate Public Service Commission for Ladakh.

All of Ladakh currently...

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