Srinagar: In a major development aimed at political empowerment and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, the Central Government has proposed a Union Territory-level legislative body with legislative, executive and financial powers vested in elected representatives, marking what stakeholders described as a historic step toward democratic restoration in the region.
The proposal emerged during a meeting of the Sub-Committee in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held in New Delhi, attended by senior MHA officials, Ladakh Union Territory administration representatives, and leaders of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).
According to a joint statement issued by LAB and KDA co-chairpersons Chering Dorjay Lakrook and Asgar Ali Karbalai, an “in-principle understanding” was reached on several critical issues after detailed discussions.
Under the proposed framework, legislative, executive and financial powers would rest with elected representatives through a Union Territory-level legislative body. Significantly, all bureaucrats in Ladakh, including the Chief Secretary, would function under the executive head of the elected body, proposed to hold a position equivalent to a Chief Minister.
The arrangement, if implemented, would provide the elected Ladakh body greater administrative control than the present Jammu and Kashmir Government framework, where All India Services officers remain under the Lieutenant Governor’s domain.
Former Chairman-cum-Chief Executive Councillor of Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council and BJP leader Tashi Gyalson, who attended the meeting, said Ladakh would also have seven district councils alongside the proposed UT-level legislature. The Ministry of Home Affairs had recently increased Ladakh’s district count from two to seven.
Gyalson termed the proposal a major decision and said finer aspects, including the nomenclature of the legislative body, electoral mechanisms and operational framework, would be worked out after consultations among stakeholders.
Two-time former Ladakh MP Thupstan Chhewang, who participated in the discussions, said all seven districts would have Zila Parishads with appropriate autonomy in matters relating to culture and land within their jurisdictions.
The LAB-KDA statement said the Centre informed participants that Ladakh could not presently be granted full statehood because of insufficient revenue generation to meet expenditure commitments, including government employee salaries. However, it said the proposed model could pave the way toward eventual statehood once financial criteria are met.
“The LAB and KDA today reached an in-principle understanding with the Government of India on restoring democracy in Ladakh and providing Constitutional safeguards on the lines of Article 371A, 371F and 371G,” the statement said.
Sources indicated the Home Ministry would prepare a draft framework for the UT-level legislative body after obtaining suggestions from LAB and KDA. No implementation timeline has been announced, though officials reportedly assured stakeholders that the process would move forward at the earliest.
Thupstan Chhewang described the proposed arrangement as “a historic step forward” for Ladakh, saying the model seeks to secure constitutional protections alongside financial and administrative empowerment of local institutions through an elected legislature headed by a leader with powers equivalent to a Chief Minister.
The meeting was attended by senior MHA and Ladakh administration officials along with Thupstan Chhewang, MP Haji Hanifa Jan, Ladakh Hill Council Chairman-cum-CEC Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, Tashi Gyalson, Sonam Wangchuk, Dorjey Stanzin, Asgar Ali Karbalai, Sajjad Kargili and Ghulam Rasool Nagvi, among others.
The Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance have been demanding constitutional safeguards and democratic empowerment measures for Ladakh for over five years, including statehood and Sixth Schedule protections. (Excelsior)
