New Reserved Areas Near LAC and LoC

• 02 Jul 2025

Why in News? 

The Ladakh administration has declared 52 villages along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as reserved areas, allowing residents to access reservation benefits in recruitment and other sectors.

Key Points 

• Official Declaration of Areas Along the LAC: 
  • The issued notification is under the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, as amended by the Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025. 
  • The notification includes: 
    • 18 revenue villages in Leh district situated along the Line of Control (LoC) and LAC. 
    • 34 revenue villages in Kargil district along the LoC. 
    • In total, 52 villages have been declared as adjoining the LAC. 
• Reservation Benefits for Border Residents: 
  • Residents of these officially declared villages will now be eligible for reservation benefits.  
  • These benefits cover recruitment and other welfare sectors, aiming to support communities living in strategically sensitive and remote areas. 

Line of Actual Control (LAC)  

• It serves as the boundary separating Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory. 
  • The India-China Border is not fully demarcated which has led to tensions between the countries. 
• This demarcation is categorized into three sectors: 
  • Eastern sector encompassing Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. 
  • Middle sector spanning Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. 
  • Western sector located in Ladakh. 

Line of Control  

• The Line of Control (LoC) emerged from the 1948 ceasefire line negotiated by the United Nations (UN) after the Kashmir War.  
• It was designated as the LoC in 1972, following the Simla Agreement between the two countries.  
• LoC is demarcated up to the Siachen Glacier (Point NJ9842)- the world's highest battlefield.  
• LoC is delineated on a map signed by the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of both armies and has the international sanctity of a legal agreement.