The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is set to hold an informal round of talks with Ladakh-based groups, including the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), in Leh on Thursday.
The meeting between the Ladakh groups and senior MHA officials will serve as a prelude to the next round of talks in New Delhi, where discussions will focus on the framework of a Union Territory-level legislative body proposed during the May 22 Sub-Committee meeting.
LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakrook told The Tribune that Thursday’s meeting would be informal and preparatory in nature. He, however, said the MHA has not yet announced the date for the meeting in New Delhi.
“A two-member team of senior MHA officials will meet us in Leh tomorrow. Three members each from the LAB and the KDA will discuss the future course of action and the proposals made during the May 22 meeting,” he said.
The MHA team is expected to lay the groundwork for the main meeting based on its assessment. It will comprise an Additional Secretary-rank officer and another official from the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
Lakrook said the LAB and KDA would also meet before their interaction with the MHA team in Leh to finalise a joint strategy.
The Ladakh groups have also prepared a draft proposal outlining the framework for a UT-level elected body with financial and executive powers. During the May 22 meeting, an understanding was reportedly reached on providing constitutional safeguards on the lines of Articles 371A, 371F and 371G, which currently apply to Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram. These provisions grant special protections and safeguards to the three states.
Thursday’s talks are also expected to help the MHA finalise its draft proposal on the UT-level elected body and seven district councils. While Ladakh earlier had only two districts—Leh and Kargil—five new districts have since been created. The newly carved districts are also expected to get Hill Councils.
Residents and political groups in Ladakh have been agitating for the past five years, demanding statehood, inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, and other safeguards from the Centre.
