LEH: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)-led subcommittee will hold its first meeting in Leh with representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on July 2, in a move aimed at carrying forward negotiations on constitutional safeguards and institutional reforms for Ladakh following the last round of talks held in New Delhi in May.
The meeting assumes significance as it marks the first occasion the Centre’s panel will engage with the two civil society groupings in the Union Territory, amid efforts to break the stalemate that followed the May 22 discussions. Leaders of both organisations said they intend to raise issues that they claim were omitted from the draft minutes of the previous meeting while also advancing discussions on a proposed governance framework for Ladakh.
LAB Chairman Chering Dorjey Lakruk confirmed that the organisation had received an invitation from the MHA panel for the July 2 meeting.
“We have been invited to the meeting with the subcommittee in Leh. We will discuss the omission of the points deliberated during our previous meeting,” a senior LAB member said.
KDA leader Asgar Ali Karbalai also confirmed receiving an invitation, describing the engagement as a preliminary meeting with the Centre’s subcommittee.
The July 2 meeting follows discussions held in New Delhi on May 22, during which the LAB and KDA reached an in-principle understanding with the MHA subcommittee on a framework envisaging an elected institution for Ladakh with legislative, administrative and financial powers.
Lakruk, however, maintained that the draft minutes circulated after the meeting did not incorporate discussions relating to the Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APRs) of officers, an issue the LAB intends to pursue during the forthcoming talks.
Sources associated with the dialogue said the Leh Apex Body has prepared a draft proposal outlining the structure and powers of the proposed elected body with assistance from legal experts. The draft is expected to be discussed with the KDA before a common proposal is placed before the MHA panel.
KDA co-chairman Sajjad Kargili said both organisations would exchange their respective drafts concerning the proposed elected body and constitutional safeguards before presenting their position to the committee after consultations with legal experts.
The dialogue has also focused on extending constitutional protections on the lines of provisions contained in Article 371 applicable to states such as Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram to safeguard land, employment and the cultural identity of Ladakh.
Ladakh became a Union Territory without a legislature following the reorganisation of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. Since then, the LAB and KDA have jointly campaigned for statehood, constitutional safeguards, enhanced legislative powers and greater administrative autonomy.
The renewed engagement comes less than a week after shutdowns were observed in Leh and Kargil to press the Centre for an early resumption of dialogue on these demands, alongside opposition to the proposed excise policy for the Union Territory.
