In-principle consensus reached in MHA Sub-Committee meeting
All 7 districts to get autonomous councils; elected body to control bureaucracy, including AIS officers
JAMMU, May 23:
In a landmark political development for Ladakh, the Central Government has proposed the creation of a powerful Union Territory-level elected legislative body with legislative, executive and financial powers, marking a major breakthrough in talks between the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ladakh-based stakeholders.
The proposal, finalized during a high-level Sub-Committee meeting of the MHA in New Delhi, envisages an elected UT-level government headed by a leader with powers equivalent to a Chief Minister. Significantly, all bureaucrats, including the Chief Secretary and All India Services (AIS) officers, will function under the executive authority of the elected body.
The development is being viewed as a major step toward democratic empowerment and Constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, where demands for Statehood and Sixth Schedule protections have intensified over the past several years.
According to a joint statement issued by Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), both sides reached an “in-principle understanding” after detailed deliberations on key political and administrative issues concerning Ladakh.
The statement said the proposed framework would vest legislative, executive and financial powers in elected representatives through a UT-level legislature.
Senior BJP leader and former Leh Hill Council CEC, Tashi Gyalson, who attended the meeting, confirmed that all seven districts of Ladakh will have district councils with appropriate autonomy. The Union Government had recently increased the number of districts in Ladakh from two to seven.
He said the exact nomenclature of the new political structure, electoral framework and operational mechanisms will be finalized through further consultations among stakeholders.
Former Ladakh MP Thupstan Chhewang described the agreement as a “historic step forward,” stating that the proposed Constitutional arrangement under Article 371 would incorporate safeguards similar to those granted to Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram under Articles 371-A, 371-F and 371-G.
He added that the arrangement also includes meaningful financial and administrative empowerment of local institutions along with an elected UT legislature headed by a leader enjoying status equivalent to a Chief Minister.
Sources said the MHA informed stakeholders that Ladakh cannot presently be granted full Statehood primarily due to inadequate revenue generation to sustain expenditure commitments such as salaries and administration. However, officials indicated that the proposed framework could eventually pave the way for full-fledged Statehood once revenue benchmarks are achieved.
The joint statement of LAB and KDA said all seven districts would receive autonomous councils with powers relating to culture, land and local governance within their jurisdictions.
Sources further disclosed that the MHA will prepare a draft framework for the UT-level legislature after receiving written suggestions from stakeholders, legal experts and Constitutional advisors. No timeline for implementation was announced, though officials assured participants that the process would be completed at the earliest.
The meeting was attended by senior MHA and Ladakh UT administration officials along with prominent representatives from LAB and KDA, including Sonam Wangchuk, Haji Hanifa Jan, Asgar Ali Karbalai and others.
The LAB and KDA have been spearheading protests and negotiations for more than five years, demanding Statehood, Sixth Schedule protections and greater Constitutional safeguards for Ladakh.(KNC)