26 April 2026: In a landmark decision aimed at fulfilling the long-standing aspirations of the people of Ladakh and strengthening grassroots governance, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, on 27 April 2026 approved the issuance of a notification for the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory. With this historic development, the number of districts in Ladakh has increased from two to seven. The newly created districts are Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar, and Drass. The decision follows the approval granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, in August 2024 for the formation of these districts. The creation of the new districts is expected to significantly improve administrative efficiency, strengthen governance, enhance public service delivery, and address the long-pending demands of residents, particularly those living in remote and geographically challenging regions of the Union Territory. Describing the move as a major milestone in Ladakh’s development journey, Lieutenant Governor Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena stated that the decision is in line with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for a developed, prosperous, and inclusive Ladakh, a vision that has guided the Union Territory since its formation in 2019. Of the five new districts, Nubra (Headquarters: Diskit), Sham (Headquarters: Khaltse), and Changthang (Headquarters: Nyoma) have been carved out of Leh district. Meanwhile, Zanskar (Headquarters: Padum) and Drass (Headquarters: Drass-Ranbirpura) have been created from the existing Kargil district. Following the notification, the territorial boundaries of all seven districts have been formally defined. Under the new administrative arrangement, Leh district will comprise 44 revenue villages, Nubra 30, Changthang 24, and Sham 27. Similarly, Kargil district will consist of 80 revenue villages, while Zanskar and Drass will have 26 and 19 revenue villages respectively. Calling the decision “historic,” the Lieutenant Governor emphasized that the establishment
26 April 2026: In a landmark decision aimed at fulfilling the long-standing aspirations of the people of Ladakh and strengthening grassroots governance, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, on 27 April 2026 approved the issuance of a notification for the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory. With this historic
