SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is scheduled to hold an informal round of discussions with representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in Leh today as part of efforts to prepare for the next phase of negotiations on Ladakh’s constitutional and administrative framework.
The meeting is expected to serve as a precursor to a formal round of talks in New Delhi, where the Centre and Ladakh-based groups are likely to deliberate on the proposed framework for a Union Territory-level elected legislative body.
A two-member delegation of senior MHA officials, comprising an Additional Secretary-rank officer and an official from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), is expected to interact with representatives of the two organisations. Three members each from the LAB and KDA are scheduled to participate in the discussions.
Ahead of the meeting with the MHA delegation, the two Ladakh-based groups are expected to hold internal consultations to finalise a common strategy and review proposals discussed during the May 22 meeting of the Centre’s Sub-Committee.
The talks are expected to focus on the future course of negotiations and the draft framework prepared by the Ladakh groups for a Union Territory-level elected body with financial and executive powers.
The discussions follow the May 22 Sub-Committee meeting, during which progress was reportedly made on exploring constitutional safeguards for Ladakh on the lines of Articles 371A, 371F and 371G, which provide special protections to Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram.
The Centre is also expected to use Thursday’s discussions to refine its proposal for establishing a UT-level elected body along with seven district councils. Following the creation of five new districts, in addition to Leh and Kargil, the proposal is expected to provide for Hill Councils in all seven districts.
The meeting in Leh is not expected to involve final decision-making but is intended to lay the groundwork for the next formal round of negotiations in New Delhi, the date for which is yet to be announced.
Ladakh-based organisations have been pressing the Centre for constitutional safeguards since the region became a Union Territory in 2019. Their principal demands include statehood, inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, protection of land and employment rights, and adequate political representation through an elected institutional framework.
