was formed in July 1979, by separating it from Leh. Kargil has 5 Sub-Divisions, 8 tehsils, and 14 Blocks. Sub-Divisions (5): Drass, Kargil, Shakar-Chiktan, Sankoo, Zanskar (Padum) Tehsils (8): Drass, Kargil, Shakar-Chiktan, Shargole, Sankoo, Trespone (Trespone), Taisuru, Zanskar (Padum) Blocks (14): Drass, Kargil, Shakar, Chiktan, Shargole, Sankoo, Trespone, Saliskote, Gund Mangalpore, Taisuru, Padum, Lungnaq, Cha, Zangla Each block consists of a number of panchayats. Politics Kargil district had two assembly constituencies, Zanskar and Kargil under Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. It forms part of the Ladakh parliamentary constituency. Major political parties in the region include National Conference, Congress, PDP, BJP, LUTF (now merged with the BJP) and the erstwhile Kargil Alliance. The present Member of Parliament (MP) for Ladakh is Jamyang Tsering Namgyal of BJP. Ladakh, a union territory without a legislature, does not have a legislative assembly but is represented in the Parliament. Santosh Sukhadeve, (IAS) is the current District Development Commissioner Kargil. Autonomous Hill Council Kargil District is administered by an elected body known as the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil. The LAHDC-K was established in 2003. Demographics According to the 2011 census Kargil district has a population of 140,802. This gives it a ranking of 603rd in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 20.18%. Kargil has a sex ratio of 810 females per every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 71.34%. Religion Of the total population, 77% are Muslims, of which 63% follow Shia Islam. Most of the district's Muslims are found in the north (Kargil town, Drass, and the lower Suru valley). Of the remainder, 17% of the total population practises Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, mostly found in Zanskar with small populations in the upper Suru valley (Rangdum) and around Shergol , Mulbekh and Garkhone. The remaining 8% of the population follows Hinduism and Sikhism, though as many as 95% of them are male. Much of Kargil population is inhabited by the Purigpa and Balti people of Tibetan origin. They converted from Buddhism to Islam in the 14th century and intermingled with other Aryan people. Muslims mainly inhabit the valley of Drass and speak Shina, a small number community, known as Brokpa, inhabit the Dha-Hanu region and Garkone village along the Indus River. Some Arghons and Shina have also settled in Kargil town. Languages The Purgi