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Leh district

District of Ladakh, administered by India

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History

Leh has historically served as the administrative centre of Ladakh. Until 1 July 1979, the entire Ladakh region was administered from Leh. On that date, Ladakh was divided into two administrative districts—Leh and Kargil—with Leh continuing to serve as the administrative headquarters of Leh district. Religious differences between Buddhist and Muslim communities had become a source of grievance by the late 20th century and were among the factors associated with the division of Ladakh into the two districts.

In 2017, Leh district was declared a tobacco-free zone. The Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, through the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), began working toward this designation earlier that year, and Leh was officially declared tobacco-free in August 2017. Rehana Kousar, then in charge of NTCP Kashmir, stated that the initiative involved civil society organisations, religious groups, and women's groups. She particularly highlighted the participation of women in the anti-tobacco campaign as a "major success."

A major administrative change took place in 2019. In August, the Parliament of India passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, which provided for the creation of the Union Territory of Ladakh. The new Union Territory came into existence on 31 October 2019, and Leh became its administrative capital as well as one of its two original districts, alongside Kargil.

Following the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Second Order, 2019, the territory claimed as part of Leh district de jure included Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilas, and the Tribal Territory, areas that are currently administered by Pakistan. The order also defined the territory of Leh and Ladakh, excluding the then-existing territory of Kargil district.

The administrative structure of Ladakh changed again in 2026. On 27 April 2026, five new districts were formally notified, bringing the total number of districts in the Union Territory to seven. As part of this reorganisation, the boundaries and administrative structure of Leh district were altered. The new districts include the Buddhist-majority districts of Sham, Changthang, Nubra, Leh, and Zanskar, alongside the Muslim-majority districts of Kargil and Drass. Leh district itself contains 44 revenue villages according to the district administration.

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