Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Sept 19: Former Chairman and CEC LAHDC Leh, Rigzin Spalbar has appealed the Apex Body of the 6th Schedule Movement to consider giving a call to not to participate or vote in the forthcoming elections to LAHDC Leh to strengthen the demand for grant of the 6th Schedule of Indian Constitution to Ladakh.
“Besides the worrisome status of the COVID-19 pandemic, at present the entire Ladakh is in a state of uncertainty over the preservation of its unique tribal identity, habitats and ecosystem vis-a-vis its future existence and survival due to lack of constitutional safeguard in the form of the 6th Schedule,” he said in a statement, issued here today.
Mr Spalbar said he was of the firm opinion that holding the elections to LAHDC Leh, without extending the relevant provisions of the 6th Schedule of Indian Constitution, (which empowers the Councils by vesting it with legislative powers) was meaningless.
“The democratically elected Council, representing the popular will of the people of Ladakh, cannot continue to be a toothless and irrelevant ostentatious body like it was made to be so in the wake of the formation of UT Ladakh. Participation in the elections and voting in it, while now the demand for the grant of the 6th Schedule has got an unprecedented overwhelming support, may not serve our cause. It is only in the best interest of the demand for the 6th Schedule that we do not participate at all in the elections unless our demand is met,’ he stressed.
It is to be noted that all socio-cultural, religious, trading, students and political organisations of Leh Ladakh have already extended their full support to the Apex Body led by the veteran leaders.
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