Administration of Lahaul and Spiti District is headed by the Deputy Commissioner. Due to single line administration in the district, he is not only the District Magistrate and Collector but for all intents and purposes is also the head of all the district level offices.

In addition to the usual and traditional role as Deputy Commissioner he has multifarious duties. As Deputy Commissioner, he is the executive head of the District looking after development, Panchayats, local bodies and civil administration. As District Magistrate, he is responsible for the maintenance of law and order and is the head of Police and prosecuting agency in Lahaul and Spiti District.

Further, as Collector he is at the apex of the revenue administration and is responsible for the collection of land-revenue and all dues recoverable as arrears of land-revenue. He is also revenue-applause authority. He ensures the successful execution of plan-schemes and co-ordinates the functions of all development departments and his functions are largely those of a Development Officer. In order to avoid procedural delays and in the interest of early disposal of work, he has been given special and enhanced powers. He has been declared Head of Department for all offices functioning in Lahaul and Spiti District.

In addition the Deputy Commissioner has been invested with so many other administrative and financial powers. He can influence transfers of the administrative staffs within the district in respect of staff of all the departments. The Deputy Commissioner is also the disciplinary authority in the district. He can order any punishment, short of dismissal and removal from service. This arrangement has been made to ensure smooth working in the area because of its remoteness. The concentration of powers in the Deputy Commissioner is primarily to ensure the speedy disposal of work and execution of development schemes. These arrangements have worked very well.

There are two tehsils and two sub-divisions in Lahaul and Spiti District namely Lahul and Spiti which are coterminous. The Deputy Commissioner in the district is assisted by additional ministerial and executive staffs. Three Sub-Divisional Officers (Civil) each posted at Keylong, Udaipur and Kaza are invested with powers of Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Collector. The two Tehsildars posted in Keylong tehsil and Kaza tehsil have the powers of the Executive Magistrate and Assistant Collectors of 1st grade. They have to assist the Sub-Divisional Officers both in Magisterial and in revenue work. Tehsildars in turn are assisted in-the revenue work by the field revenue staff. There is no town in the district and entire population is rural. Number of villages in Lahaul and Spiti District is 521 (inhabited 265 and uninhabited 256). Number of Panchayats in Lahaul and Spiti District is 41 and there are two Panchayat Samitis.