Ladakh delegation hopeful ahead of meeting with MHA panel

As the next round of talks between Ladakh representatives and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) panel is set to take place on Tuesday, members from Leh and Kargil remain hopeful of progress on their longstanding four-point demands from the Centre, which they have been raising for over four years.

Representatives from the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are scheduled to meet the Union Home Ministry’s High-Powered Committee (HPC), chaired by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, on May 27 in New Delhi.

The KDA and LAB members convened a strategy meeting on Monday evening to prepare for the talks and finalise their approach to presenting the demands.

The key demands include the granting of Statehood to Ladakh, inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, establishment of a separate Public Service Commission, and allocation of two parliamentary seats (as opposed to the current single seat).

The two bodies had earlier requested that the meeting be spread over two days and that Union Home Minister Amit Shah also attend to expedite the resolution process. However, both requests have reportedly been denied. The meeting will be held for just one day, chaired by MoS Nityanand Rai.

Chering Dorje Lakrook, a LAB member, stated that the delegation would press for a time-bound resolution to their demands. “It has been a long journey for the people of Ladakh. We are hoping to resume the dialogue from where it left off last time and reach an agreement, particularly on the issue of employment,” he said.

Lakrook added that both LAB and KDA members were optimistic that the upcoming meeting would yield some concrete outcomes.

The HPC also includes Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Brigadier BD Mishra (Retd), chairpersons of the Leh and Kargil Hill Councils, the Member of Parliament from Ladakh, and the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory, among others.

Ladakh was carved into a Union Territory without a legislature following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated. Since then, demands for constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule to protect Ladakh’s cultural and economic interests have gained momentum.

In response, the MHA formed the high-powered committee in January 2023 to “ensure protection of land and employment” for Ladakh residents. The previous meeting of the committee was held on January 15.