Ladakh Map

Birth of Ladakh Union Territory

Ladakh was born from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Union government decided to abrogate the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, and scrapped Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, was introduced in the Parliament by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In August 2019, the Parliament passed an act by which Ladakh became a new union territory on October 31, 2019.

As per the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, the state saw a split. Instead of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, two Union Territories, the UT of Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh came into existence on October 31, 2019.

About Ladakh

The new Union Territory of Ladakh will constitute the following:

• Leh (Ladakh) district
• Kargil district

Ladakh comes under the jurisdiction of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The union territory of Ladakh has its police force headed by a Director general of police. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will recruit officers in Ladakh. Several laws will apply to Ladakh, and it will receive direct funding from the central government. The Ministry of Home Affairs will control the police system. Officials of Ladakh will get a salary according to the seventh pay commission.

RK Mathur first LG

The remote control of Ladakh will be in the hand of the central government, which will administer it through the Lieutenant Governor. Radha Krishna Mathur took oath as the first Lieutenant Governor (LG) of the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Transportation

Ladakh has a good road facility, about 1,800 km (1,100 mi) of roads are lying in Ladakh, of which 800 km (500 mi) are surface roads.

Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport is in Leh from where the daily flight to Delhi is available. There is also an airport in Kargil.

Last Updated on: January 28, 2025