New Delhi, Feb 3: The two prominent groups from Ladakh–Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA)–are likely to press for constitutional safeguards and greater political autonomy for the Union territory during the meeting of the High Powered Committee (HPC) on Wednesday.
The Ladakh leaders who arrived here on Tuesday are holding informal meetings among themselves to finalise their strategy for the meeting, sources said.
The deliberations are likely to continue tomorrow afternoon before the meeting takes place, they said. The meeting will be chaired by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.
It will be the first meeting of the HPC on the Union Territory of Ladakh since the September clashes last year, marking the resumption of suspended deliberations between the Centre and representatives from the UT.
Both bodies are likely to stick to their core demands, seeking constitutional safeguards, release of Wangchuk and greater political autonomy for the Union territory created in 2019 following the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.
The LAB and KDA have been demanding full statehood with its own legislative assembly to ensure greater political representation and self-governance, to protect the unique culture, fragile ecosystem and land rights of the predominantly tribal population by granting autonomous district councils and two Lok Sabha seats, among others.
The talks were suspended following the violent clashes on September 24 between security forces and protesters demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh, leaving four civilians dead and 90 injured.
In the aftermath, a prominent voice, Sonam Wangchuk, was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). He is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail. The NSA empowers the Centre and states to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner “prejudicial to the defence of India.”
The maximum detention period under the NSA is 12 months, though it can be revoked earlier.
A meeting between leaders of Ladakh and home ministry representatives took place in October 2025 for sub-committee level talks, where the Ladakh representatives had demanded an immediate release of all arrested leaders, including Wangchuk.
On June 3, 2025, following a meeting of the HPC on May 27, the home ministry announced new reservation and domicile policies for Ladakh, reserving 85 per cent of jobs for locals and one-third of the total number of seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils for women.
Under the new rules, those who have resided for a period of 15 years in the UT or studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10 or 12 examination in an educational institution located in the UT shall be domicile of Ladakh for the purposes of appointment to any post under the UT or under a local or other authority other than cantonment board. (Agencies)
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