Leh, Jan 15: The Ladakh Administration has placed a complete halt on changes to all administrative boundaries across the Union Territory ahead of the national census exercise. The order, which took effect on January 1, 2026, will remain in force until the 2027 Census is finished.
The directive has been issued under the Census Act, 1948 and Census Rules, 1990. Clause (iv) of Rule 8 empowers governments to freeze territorial limits to ensure proper and orderly counting of population.
A notification from the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department states that no district, tehsil, municipality, town, revenue village, or other unit can be altered during this period. The aim is to maintain a stable map of Ladakh so that population figures are recorded clearly, without confusion over boundaries or jurisdiction.
Officials said that holding boundaries steady before a census is routine practice across the country. It helps avoid errors, duplication of records, and disputes that may emerge from shifting limits while enumerators are on the ground.
The order has been signed by Dr. Laltinkhuma Franklin, IAS, Commissioner/Secretary of the department, and circulated widely for compliance. Copies have been sent to the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, all administrative secretaries of Ladakh, the Director General of Police, the Deputy Commissioners of Leh and Kargil, and the Director Census Operations for J&K and Ladakh.
Authorities have been instructed to ensure no administrative adjustment, however minor, is carried out until census work concludes.
Officials noted that census findings help guide future planning, resource distribution, and local governance reforms — a task that holds added weight in Ladakh due to its remote terrain, thin population spread, and high strategic relevance.
With the freeze in place, Ladakh enters a crucial phase as preparations for Census 2027 gather pace across the Himalayan region.
