One day after a Home Affairs Ministry subcommittee held talks with Ladakh's leadership on proposals covering a territory-level legislature and Article 371 protections, the union territory's administration formalised a new district, pushing its total count to eight.

On Friday, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena gave formal approval to a notification establishing Sankoo as a new district. The official described the move as the fulfilment of a long-held wish among residents of the region.

Beyond its two established districts of Kargil and Leh, Ladakh brought five additional administrative units — Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar, and Drass — into formal existence during April. Stakeholders in Ladakh's future had put forward calls for Sankoo — a locality within the former Kargil territory — to be granted its own district.

Governing a union territory marked by low population density presented administrative difficulties, with the geography and terrain adding layers of complexity to day-to-day operations. Those backing the proposal contend that carving out additional districts would place administrative authority nearer to the people it serves, reduce the distances residents cover to reach government offices, and streamline routine operations. Saxena extended recognition to the advocates who had driven the effort forward.

Sajjad Kargili, co-chairman of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, said the decision by the central government was one his organisation viewed positively, and conveyed the group's appreciation for the move. Kargili also conveyed that the Shakar Chiktan area of Kargil had been passed over in the district-status arrangements, and called for that designation to be extended to outlying villages as well, expressing confidence that the pending request for Shakar Chiktan would be acted upon without undue delay.

No agreement was reached in talks between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ladakh's leadership, with both sides setting 22 October in New Delhi as the date for their next round of discussions. A representative from the Ladakh delegation noted that the MHA committee had presented its draft proposal while the delegation put forward its own. Gaps between the two drafts proved notable, and agreement among the parties did not materialise.

Chering Dorje Lakruk, co-chairperson of the Leh Apex Body, indicated that the organisation would examine the MHA draft before formulating a formal response. The Ladakh body's position, as conveyed through that spokesperson, held steady around a cluster of demands — among them, full legislative status for the union territory alongside constitutional protections drawn from Article 371.

At the 9 September talks held in New Delhi, the MHA put forward two proposals for Ladakh — a union territory-based legislature alongside an Article 371K provision — together forming an arrangement that has no established precedent elsewhere in India. Under the proposed arrangement, Ladakh's legislature would gain authority spanning financial, executive, and administrative domains, with jurisdiction extending to land use, cultural affairs, language, forests, natural resources, and environmental matters.

Any accord reached between the MHA and Ladakh representatives would require formalisation through a parliamentary amendment to the constitution. Dialogue between Ladakh's representative bodies and the central government in New Delhi has been under way since 2023, with demands at the outset centred on full statehood alongside inclusion under the Sixth Schedule. At a gathering held on 22 May in New Delhi, the Ladakh side accepted a position backing a union territory-governed legislature alongside constitutional protections under Article 371 in discussions with the MHA.