Ahead of J&K, Lok Sabha elections, Ladakh receives divisional status

JAMMU: In a significant development ahead of Parliamentary and assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the governor’s administration on Friday approved the creation of a separate administrative and revenue division for Ladakh. The state now has three divisions — Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh.

This newly created Ladakh division will comprise Leh and Kargil districts with its headquarters in Leh. The government has also approved creation of the posts of divisional commissioner and inspector general of police for Ladakh on the lines of the Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

“Further, a committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of principal secretary to government, planning, development and monitoring department to identify the posts of divisional level heads of various departments t hat may be required for the new division; particularly their staffing pattern, role and responsibilities and proposed location of these offices,” said a spokesman for the state government.

The development comes close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Sunday visit to Vijaypur near Jammu ,where he sought the mandate of the people of the state for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

It follows the November 15 resignation of 71-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader Thupstan Chhewang as BJP MP from the Ladakh constituency because the party did not keep a promise to grant union territory status to Ladakh.

Thupstan was elected BJP MP from Ladakh constituency in 2014 defeating his nearest rival with a wafer-thin margin of just 36 votes. The BJP had won three Lok Sabha seats from the state out of a total of six.

National Conference vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah promised divisional status to the Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal regions.