Ladakhis welcome notification on domicile, women’s quota

The notification by Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding reservation for women, domicile and inclusion of official languages has been largely welcomed by different groups in the cold desert region.

A meeting of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body (LAB) was held with the Minister of State for Defence Nityanand Rai and officials of MHA recently in which discussions regarding domicile and other matters were held.

The government on Tuesday notified that a person who has resided in Ladakh for 15 years, studied for seven years and appeared for class 10th or 12th examinations in Ladakh will be eligible for domicile. The 15-year time will be counted from 2019 when the erstwhile state of J&K was bifurcated into two. The first domicile will take effect only in 2034.

The Congress and BJP have welcomed the notifications by the Centre. While the BJP has expressed hope that the issue of statehood and Sixth Schedule would also be resolved in the coming months, the Congress has raised doubts on the issue of domicile stating that it may lead to ‘demographic change’ in the future. The Congress has rejected the domicile policy notified by the Centre claiming that it would let people from outside to settle in Ladakh.

Tsering Namgyal, Leader of Opposition in the Leh Hill Council, said that people from outside would come and settle in the UT and let their children study for the time period required to qualify as a domicile that will help them in getting jobs. “This will result in demographic change in the region in the coming decades,” said Namgyal.

Namgyal, however, welcomed the decision on official languages and reservation for women in the hill councils.

The BJP, on the other hand, has whole-heartedly welcomed the step stating that it has paved the way for a bright future in the region.