Kargil has a relatively small population but has traditionally had multiple tiers of political representation. That changed on Wednesday when the administration dissolved the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) in Kargil , leaving the region with only its MP as an elected political representative.

The move came days after talks between Ladakhi leaders and the Centre ended in a stalemate on October 15, and months after the Centre approved the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory. Last month, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena approved a proposal to establish a separate LAHDC in each of the seven districts.

In August 2019, Ladakh was carved out as a Union Territory without a legislature from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 .

Mixed response

Wednesday’s decision has raised questions about whether creating more district-level elected bodies can adequately address Ladakh’s demand for a legislature and greater political autonomy…