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Why five new districts in Ladakh have led to fears of exclusion, gerrymandering

Scroll | May 12, 2026 11:39 AM CST

Last month, five new districts were officially added to the Union territory of Ladakh.

The Centre had approved the creation of the districts in 2024, but the formal notification was issued on April 27, three days ahead of a visit to the cold desert region by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

But the decision has become a source of anxiety for the Ladakh’s Muslim-majority population, who suspect that the redrawing of the boundaries of the new districts will lead to their marginalisation. With the addition of five districts, Ladakh now has seven districts.

Sajjad Kargili, a leading activist from Kargil, told Scroll: “The demographic distribution of Ladakh does not reflect in the creation of the new districts.”

One of the most sparsely inhabited regions in the world, Ladakh has a total population 2.74 lakh, according to the 2011 census. Forty-six per cent of its population is Muslim, while Buddhists are the second largest religious community with a share of 39% of the total population. Hindus account for a little over 12%. Most of the Muslim population is concentrated in Kargil district, while Buddhists mostly live in Leh district.

According to Kargili, only two out of the total seven districts in Ladakh will be Muslim-majority while five will be dominated by Buddhist...