Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan has presented a consultation document for the draft Constitutional Law on Administrative-Territorial Structure, which provides for a revision of the criteria for populated settlements and a clarification of their status.
WHY A NEW LAW WAS DEVELOPED
According to the portal 'Open NPA', the discussion of the draft will last until 8 April 2026. The ministry notes that the need to develop the document is linked to the new version of the Constitution and the obsolescence of the current law of 1993, which does not take into account modern processes of urbanisation and digitalisation.
REVISION OF POPULATED SETTLEMENT CATEGORIES
The developers propose clarifying the classification of populated settlements, taking into account their actual population size and economic profile.
In particular, the draft provides for a reduction in the minimum population threshold for settlements to 500 people, provided the necessary infrastructure is in place.
It is also proposed to clarify the criteria for rural populated settlements: these could include territories where at least half of those employed work in agriculture.
The situation regarding 28 settlements under the administrative subordination of cities of regional significance is being considered separately. The document notes that their level of development does not correspond to urban characteristics, and proposes a mechanism for reclassifying them as rural populated settlements.
PRESERVATION OF THE STATUS OF SMALL TOWNS
The document takes into account the situation of cities of regional significance with a population of less than 50,000 people. There are eight such cities in Kazakhstan — Kurchatov, Tekeli, Priozersk, Saran, Arkalyk, Lisakovsk, Baikonur and Karzhal.
Despite not meeting the formal threshold, the draft allows for the preservation of their status, taking into account their industrial, scientific, cultural or historical importance, as well as their development prospects.
NEW CATEGORIES AND CLARIFICATION OF POWERS
The draft also proposes introducing the concept of 'isolated settlements' — objects that are not administrative-territorial units but are subject to registration. These include, in particular, weather stations, railway halts, farms and other economic facilities.
Furthermore, the document provides for the clarification of the powers of state bodies and the identification of persons representing the government when resolving issues of administrative-territorial structure.
DIGITALISATION AND BORDER DESCRIPTIONS
A separate block of changes concerns the registration of administrative-territorial units. The draft proposes a transition from schematic maps to maps with coordinate-based boundary descriptions.
It also provides for the management of data through a unified state digital register.
The target indicator is specified as a reduction in the time required to update data on boundaries and addresses from six months to one month.
PROSPECTS AND EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT
According to the developers, granting constitutional status to the norms on administrative-territorial structure should enhance the stability of the state's territorial organisation.
The document lists the expected results as improving the coherence of decisions between levels of state administration and updating digital data on boundaries and addresses.