The Centre on Monday announced the creation of five new districts in the Union territory of Ladakh, namely Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang.

Union home minister Amit Shah said in a post on X that the step was taken “to build a developed and prosperous Ladakh”.

“The new districts…will take the benefits meant for the people to their doorsteps by bolstering governance in every nook and cranny,” Shah said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the move would bring “services and opportunities even closer to the people [of Ladakh]”.

The development comes amid Ladakhis’ demand for statehood.

On August 5, 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government rescinded the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the state into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and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.

In February, the leadership of the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance called for massive protests demanding statehood for Ladakh and safeguards for the rights of natives to land and jobs. The collective representing several social, religious, political and student organisations of Leh and Kargil has been making these demands since 2020.

Ladakh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in February went on a hunger strike demanding the implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in Ladakh.

The Sixth Schedule under Article 244 (Administration of Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas) of the Constitution guarantees certain protections for land and nominal autonomy for citizens in designated tribal areas. In Ladakh, more than 97% of the population belongs to the Scheduled Tribes.

The inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule would allow for the creation of autonomous development councils to govern land, public health and agriculture. Ten such councils exist in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, the only states where the Sixth Schedule has been implemented.

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.

The Centre in February agreed to examine whether the provisions of the Sixth Schedule could be implemented in Ladakh.

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