Ladakh representative bodies reject Union Ministry draft proposal

The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have rejected a draft proposal from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the governance of Ladakh. The representative groups characterized the 32-page document presented during talks in Leh on October 15 as a “dilution of earlier assurances.”

Disagreements center on the level of authority granted to the proposed institution. While the LAB and KDA are demanding a directly elected Union Territory-level assembly with legislative, executive, budgetary, and financial powers—supported by constitutional safeguards similar to those under Articles 371A, 371F, or 371G—the MHA draft appears to favor a Territorial Council model. The activists argue this model lacks the necessary control over land, culture, language, forests, and natural resources.

LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjey accused the Centre of backtracking on understandings reached in May and described the current proposal as a “time-buying exercise.” The representative bodies have vowed to continue their agitation until their demands for a UT-level assembly and specific constitutional protections are met. A sub-committee meeting is scheduled for October 22 in New Delhi to address the impasse.