LAB, KDA submit joint document to MHA
*Autonomous District Councils proposed
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 17: The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) today submitted 29-page comprehensive document to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which generally revolved around grant of Statehood and Sixth Schedule status to the Union Territory of Ladakh but also had mention of general amnesty for all those arrested after September 24 violence in Leh including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk.
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The document was sent through email.
Titled as ‘Sixth Schedule Provisions and a case for Statehood. Draft Framework for Ladakh’ (A Sui Generis Model for Protected Statehood and Sixth Schedule), the document sought integration of proposed State of Ladakh under Article 371 as Article 371-K. It presented in detail its case for inclusion of Ladakh in Article 371 of the Constitution of India.
The LAB and KDA also submitted The State of Ladakh Act, 2025 along with the document seeking a 30-member Assembly for the proposed State of Ladakh , out of which, 28 will be reserved for the members of Scheduled Tribes (STs) of Ladakh i.e. the local people. It also sought two Lok Sabha seats for Ladakh.
“There shall be a common High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and State of Ladakh to be called the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” the document said.
It proposed Autonomous District Council for each district of the State of Ladakh instead of present Hill Development Councils.
LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakruk told media persons in Leh that the document listing their demands has been submitted to the Government of India.
“It’s a 29-page document having maximum focus on Statehood and Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh,” he said. There are now two prime demands of the LAB and KDA which they have repeatedly taken up with the MHA. The twin issues of reservations in Government jobs and conditions for domicile certificates have already been resolved by the Central Government.
Lakruk, however, said, they have also sought general amnesty for all those arrested after September 24 violence in Leh including Sonam Wangchuk.
Wangchuk has been booked under the (NSA) while others are detained under different sections of law for the violence which broke out in Leh on September 24 during strike call given by youth wing of LAB seeking preponment of talks with MHA which were then scheduled for October 6. Four civilians were killed and 90 others including security personnel were injured in the violence in which the BJP and Hill Council offices and many security vehicles were damaged.
Wangchuk, who was sitting on fast then, was detained under the NSA while others involved in the violence were arrested/detained.
“We have sought general amnesty for the arrested persons including Sonam Wangchuk,” the LAB co-chairman said, adding there have been instances in the country when the people surrendering were given amnesty.
After October 22 Sub Committee meeting in New Delhi, the MHA had sought detailed document from the LAB and KDA listing their demands. The demands were drafted by both the bodies and then a joint document was prepared unanimously which was emailed to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs today.
According to sources, the MHA team dealing with the issues of Ladakh will study the document submitted by the LAB and KDA after which a meeting of either the Sub Committee or the High Powered Committee (HPC) will be convened in New Delhi for detailed discussions.
The Sub Committee comprised senior officers of MHA and UT of Ladakh, three members each from LAB and KDA, Ladakh MP and Chairperson-cum-CEC Kargil Hill Development Council while the HPC is headed by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai and has six members each from LAB and KDA, Ladakh MP and Kargil Hill Council Chairman, among others.
Last meeting of the Sub Committee attended by top MHA and UT Ladakh administration officials, representatives of LAB and KDA, Ladakh MP and CECs-cum-Chairpersons of Leh and Kargil Hill Councils was held on October 22 in New Delhi. The dialogue had resumed after nearly five months as the previous meeting was held on May 27.
The MHA had sought detailed document from the LAB and KDA listing their demands before next meeting.
Sources said that next meeting will be called by the MHA after studying the document submitted by the LAB and KDA today.
Talks between the Centre, LAB and KDA had broken down after September 24 violence.
Both the Ladakh organizations (LAB and KDA) stayed away from the dialogue slated for October 6. However, they agreed for October 22 meeting only after the MHA ordered judicial inquiry into the violence headed by a retired Judge of the Supreme Court.
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