SRINAGAR: In a significant development, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has accorded approval to engage in discussions regarding “Constitutional safeguards” for the residents of the Union Territory of Ladakh.
This comes as a major concession to the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). The scheduled talks are set to take place in New Delhi on December 4, presided over by Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai.
According to a report in The Daily Excelsior, a comprehensive panel of 22 members will participate in the discussions. This includes 14 representatives from LAB and KDA (seven from each), along with eight government functionaries. Notably, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh (Retd) BD Mishra’s involvement hinges on his return from ongoing medical treatment.
LAB and KDA have delineated a four-point agenda for the talks, encompassing Statehood for Ladakh, the bestowment of Sixth Scheduled status, allocation of two Lok Sabha seats for the UT—specifically one each for Leh and Kargil—and the creation of employment opportunities, including the establishment of a Public Services Commission (PSC).
The Terms of Reference outlined by the MHA for the Committee emphasize discussions on safeguarding Ladakh’s unique culture and language, considering its geographical location and strategic significance. This includes measures to ensure the protection of land and employment, initiatives for inclusive development and employment generation, steps related to the empowerment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils in both Leh and Kargil, and Constitutional safeguards to address the concerns raised in the agenda.
Officials disclosed that the High Powered Committee (HPC) now comprises seven members each from LAB and KDA, in addition to eight official members, including the LG Ladakh, Lok Sabha Member Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Chief Executive Councillors-cum-Chairpersons of Leh and Kargil Hill Development Council, and MHA officials. Nityanand Rai will chair the HPC.
The LAB’s seven representatives include notable figures such as Thupstan Chhewang, ex-MP and president of Ladakh Buddhist Association, and Chhering Dorjey Lakrook, former Cabinet Minister in the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Government. On the KDA side, leaders like Asgar Ali Karbalai (co-chairman of KDA and working president of Territorial Congress Committee, Ladakh) and Qamar Ali Akhoon (general secretary of NC, Kargil) will be part of the talks.
Addressing the demand for the constitution of a Public Service Commission (PSC) for Ladakh, the representatives suggested inclusion in the PSC of Jammu and Kashmir, aligning with the pattern of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. Emphasizing the importance of Ladakh Resident Certificate (LRC), they proposed its mandatory requirement for all recruitment processes.
The last meeting of the High Powered Committee took place in New Delhi on June 19 this year. Subsequently, LAB and KDA had committed to attending the next meeting only if their agenda was included. Despite the earlier reluctance of the Central Government to grant Statehood for Ladakh, the MHA has assured LAB that all issues are open for discussion, leading to their acceptance of the invitation for talks. The delay in holding the subsequent meeting of the HPC was attributed to the visit of the Tibetan Spiritual Leader, The Dalai Lama, to Ladakh, followed by elections to the Kargil Hill Council.
