Leh: Sankoo has officially become Ladakh’s eighth district after the Union Territory administration notified its creation, fulfilling a long-standing demand for a separate administrative unit in the Kargil region. The new district will have its headquarters in Sankoo and its own Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC).
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena announced the creation of Sankoo district on Friday during a visit to the area. The administration subsequently issued a formal notification establishing the district and a separate hill council.
The new district comprises four tehsils — Sankoo, GM Pore, TSG and Taisuru — which have been separated from Kargil district. The change will also reduce the jurisdiction of the existing Kargil Hill Council, as the areas included in Sankoo will no longer fall under it.
Ladakh Now Has Eight Districts
Until April 2026, Ladakh had only two districts: Leh and Kargil. Five additional districts — Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass — were announced earlier this year, taking the total to seven.
With the creation of Sankoo, the Union Territory now has eight districts. Sankoo was not included in the earlier expansion, despite sustained demands from local organisations and public representatives.
Saxena said the decision fulfilled a long-standing aspiration of the people of the area. He also indicated that officials would be appointed soon to make the new district administration functional.
Separate Hill Council Notified For Sankoo
Alongside the district notification, the administration has formally notified the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council for Sankoo under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997.
The council will exercise powers and perform functions prescribed under the law. Elections to the new council will be held in due course after the required formal notification is issued.
The creation of a separate council also means that the jurisdiction of the LAHDC Kargil will be revised to exclude the tehsils and revenue villages now included in Sankoo district.
Years-Long Demand For Separate District Status
The demand for a separate district for Sankoo had remained pending for years. In March 2026, a delegation led by Kargil Hill Council Chief Executive Councillor Dr Mohammad Jaffer Akhoon and Ladakh MP Haneefa Jan met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to seek district status for Sankoo and Shakar-Chiktan.
The delegation argued that both areas were among the oldest and most populous subdivisions of Kargil. However, when five new districts were announced in April, Sankoo was left out.
The latest decision grants Sankoo separate district status, while no corresponding announcement on Shakar-Chiktan was made in the notification.
Five New Tehsils Also Announced
The Lieutenant Governor also announced five additional tehsils across Ladakh: Aryan Valley in Sham, Sodh in Kargil, Phey in Zanskar, Thasgam in Drass and Himya in Changthang.
These additions take the total number of tehsils in Ladakh to 37, following the creation of 17 new tehsils in July.
The administrative changes come as Ladakh continues to discuss its future governance structure. The Union Territory, which became a Union Territory without a legislature in 2019, has also seen demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards. Talks between the Centre and Ladakh representatives are expected to continue, with another meeting scheduled for October 22.