J-K guv's admin forms panel to decide on divisional setup in Ladakh

The Jammu and Kashmir's governor's administration has formed a high level committee to determine the scope and size of division level offices, their staffing and location for the newly constituted division for Ladakh region.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration Friday created a separate division for Ladakh, which had been part of the Kashmir division till now.

Ladakh will now have a separate divisional commissioner and an Inspector General of Police (IG) with a full administrative and revenue division at par with Kashmir and Jammu divisions, an order issued by the administration said Friday.

"It is with this in mind that the government decision included the formation of a committee of very senior officers of the state to determine the location and scope and size of division level offices, their staffing, size and most importantly, their location," an official spokesperson said Tuesday.

This committee will submit it's report "in a very short time" after interacting with all the stakeholders, he said.

"The government urges all parties to be patient. Everyone's interest will be taken care of," the official said.

Cutting across party lines, prominent politicians from Kargil have come together and threatened mass agitation if the decision to set up the permanent headquarters of the newly-created Ladakh division in Leh was not reviewed.

On Sunday, thousands of people also staged a rally in Kargil and submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner, demanding that the divisional commissioner and the IGP offices function on rotational basis -- in Kargil during summers and in Leh during winters.