Leh district

Leh district is a district in Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir-region. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary sources (a) through (e), reflecting due weight in the coverage. Although "controlled" and "held" are also applied neutrally to the names of the disputants or to the regions administered by them, as evidenced in sources (h) through (i) below, "held" is also considered politicized usage, as is the term "occupied," (see (j) below). (a) (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories."; (b)  (subscription required) Quote: "Aksai Chin, Chinese (Pinyin) Aksayqin, portion of the Kashmir region, at the northernmost extent of the Indian subcontinent in south-central Asia. It constitutes nearly all the territory of the Chinese-administered sector of Kashmir that is claimed by India to be part of the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir state."; (c)  C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947"; (d) Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute between India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China." (e) Quote: "We move from a disputed international border to a dotted line on the map that represents a military border not recognized in international law. The line of control separates the Indian and Pakistani administered areas of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir."; (f)   (g)  (h)  Quote: "J&K: Jammu and Kashmir. The former princely state that is the subject of the Kashmir dispute. Besides IJK (Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir. The larger and more populous part of the former princely state. It has a population of slightly over 10 million, and comprises three regions: Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh.) and AJK ('Azad" (Free) Jammu and Kashmir. The more populous part of Pakistani-controlled J&K, with a population of approximately 2.5 million.), it includes the sparsely populated "Northern Areas" of Gilgit and Baltistan, remote mountainous regions which are directly administered, unlike AJK, by the Pakistani central authorities, and some high-altitude uninhabitable tracts under Chinese control." (i) Quote: "Kashmir’s identity remains hotly disputed with a UN-supervised “Line of Control” still separating Pakistani-held Azad (“Free”) Kashmir from Indian-held Kashmir."; (j)  Quote:"Some politicised terms also are used to describe parts of J&K. These terms include the words 'occupied' and 'held'." Ladakh is an Indian-administered union territory. With an area of 45,110 km2, it is the second largest district in the country, second only to Kutch. It is bounded on the north by Gilgit-Baltistan's Kharmang and Ghanche districts and Xinjiang's Kashgar Prefecture and Hotan Prefecture, to which it connects via the historic Karakoram Pass. Aksai Chin and Tibet are to the east, Kargil district to the west, and Lahul and Spiti to the south. The district headquarters is in Leh. It lies between 32 and 36 degree north latitude and 75 to 80 degree east longitude.

All of Ladakh was under the administration of Leh until 1 July 1979, when the Kargil and Leh administrative districts were created. Religion has been a source of grievance between Buddhists and Muslims since the late 20th century and contributed to this division.

In 2017, the district was declared a tobacco-free zone. The Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, under the National Tobacco Control Programme, began working towards the designation early in 2017 and the status was declared in August. Rehana Kousar (in-charge, NTCP, Kashmir) said that work was done with civil society, religious and women's groups and that a "major success was achieved by the involvement of women in the anti-tobacco campaign."

In August 2019, the Parliament of India passed the act that contained provisions to make Leh a district of the new union territory of Ladakh, which was formed 31 October 2019.

Administration
Leh district has seven sub-divisions and twelve tehsils. The sub-divisions are: Nubra, Durbuk (Durbok), Khalatse (Khaltsi/Khalsi), Leh, Kharoo, Likir, Nyoma. The tehsils are: Sumoor,and Diskit in Nubra Valley, Durbuk, Khalatse, Saspol, Leh, Kharoo, and Nyoma.

As a result of The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Second Order, 2019, Leh district claimed de jure jurisdiction over the following areas of Pakistani-administered Kashmir: Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilas, and Tribal territory, making it only slightly smaller than the country of Tunisia.

The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh (LAHDC Leh) is the Autonomous District Council that administers the Leh district.

As of July 2019, Leh district is divided into 7 sub-divisions (new sub-divisions in Leh), 12 tehsils (new tehsils in Panamik, Turtuk, Chuchot and Likir) and 18 new blocks in Sumoor and Likir (blocks).

Demographics
According to the 2011 census Leh district had a population of 133,487, roughly equal to the nation of Saint Lucia. This gives it a ranking of 609th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 3 PD/sqkm. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 13.87%, (it was 30.15% for 1991–2001). Leh has a sex ratio of 690 females for every 1000 males (this varies with religion), and a literacy rate of 77.2%.

Languages
Ladakhi is the most spoken language, and Hindi/Urdu is the second-largest language, mainly spoken in Leh. Balti is found in Nubra near the boundary with Gilgit-Baltistan. Tibetan, Punjabi, Marathi and Nepali are all mainly spoken in Leh. Urdu and English are widely understood in Leh.

Parliamentary Constituency
The district falls under Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency). The present Member of Parliament (MP) of Ladakh is independent leader Mohammed Haneefa

Assembly constituencies
Leh district had two assembly constituencies, Nubra and Leh under Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. Since Ladakh is a union territory without a legislature, it does not currently have a legislative assembly.

Autonomous Hill Council
Leh District is administered by an elected body known as the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh. The LAHDC was established in 1995.

The latest elections were held in October 2020. The BJP secured 15 seats while the INC won 9 and the Independents won 2.

Road
Leh is connected to the rest of India by two high-altitude roads both of which are subject to landslides and neither of which are passable in winter when covered by deep snows. The National Highway 1D from Srinagar via Kargil is generally open longer. The Leh-Manali Highway can be troublesome due to very high passes and plateaus, and the lower but landslide-prone Rohtang Pass near Manali. The third road axis is under construction.

The overland approach to Ladakh from the Kashmir valley via the 434-km. National Highway 1 typically remains open for traffic from June to October/November. The most dramatic part of this road journey is the ascent up the 3,505 m (11,500 ft.) high Zoji-la, a tortuous pass in the Great Himalayan Wall. The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) operates regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey.
 * National Highway 1

Since 1989, the 473-km Leh-Manali Highway has been serving as the second land approach to Ladakh. Open for traffic from June to late October, this high road traverses the upland desert plateaux of Rupsho whose altitude ranges from 3,660 m to 4,570 m. There are a number of high passes en route among which the highest one, known as Tanglang La, is sometimes (but incorrectly) claimed to be the world's second-highest motorable pass at an altitude of 5,325 m. (17,469 feet).
 * National Highway 3 or Leh-Manali Highway


 * Nimmu–Padam–Darcha road

This is the third road axis to Leh. It is currently under construction.

Air
Leh's Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport has flights to Delhi at least daily on Air India which also provides twice-weekly services to Jammu and a weekly flight to Srinagar. Passengers connect in Delhi for other destinations. Go First operates Delhi to Leh daily flights during peak time.

Rail
There is no railway service currently in Ladakh, however, 2 railway routes are proposed- the Bhanupli–Leh line and Srinagar–Kargil–Leh line.