LEH: Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra, who attended the September 9 sub-committee meeting between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and leaders of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in New Delhi, described the discussions as marked by a “general air of positivity” as both sides deliberated on the broad contours of a proposed sui-generis governance model under Article 371 of the Constitution.
In a post on X following the meeting, Kundra said the discussions were centred on evolving a governance framework suited to Ladakh’s distinctive requirements, while underlining that “deepening democracy is the goal.”
The Chief Secretary’s assessment offers a notably more positive reading of the talks than that conveyed by LAB and KDA leaders, who expressed disappointment over the absence of a draft proposal despite expectations that one would be presented during the meeting.
Kundra’s reference to a “sui-generis model of governance” under Article 371 also assumes significance as the MHA and Ladakh’s political representatives continue discussions on constitutional safeguards covering land, culture, language, environment and natural resources, along with the proposed elected UT-level body.
While LAB and KDA have sought a concrete draft before proceeding further, Kundra’s remarks indicate that the government views the latest round as a step towards developing a distinctive democratic governance arrangement for the Union Territory.
