Ladakh seeks statehood, Sixth Schedule status in new proposal

Ladakh representatives have submitted a draft proposal to the Union Home Ministry seeking statehood for the Union Territory and a Sixth Schedule status, ahead of their next round of talks with the High Powered Committee of the Ministry.

The document, spanning 29 pages, has also sought a general amnesty for climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and others who were arrested in the wake of the violent protest on September 24 in Leh town that left four dead and several injured.

Jointly prepared by the leaders of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the document was submitted to the Home Ministry on Monday (November 17).

The development comes days after the Home Ministry, on October 17, the Home Ministry announced a judicial inquiry commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge into the violent clashes and thus accepted a major demand of the two agitating groups, who also responded by resuming stalled talks.

Case for 30-member Assembly

The document argued for full statehood with a 30-member Assembly and constitutional safeguards under Article 371 and the extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

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It noted that talks between the groups from Ladakh and the home ministry have been ongoing for four years, and the ministry has been “largely accommodating and sensitive to the aspirations and concerns of the people of Ladakh”.

‘Withdraw all cases against Wangchuk’

The draft proposal also demanded an unconditional withdrawal of all the cases against Wangchuk, who was leading a sit-in hunger strike in Leh over the demands, and was arrested under stringent NSA following violent clashes. The draft called for his immediate release for the talks to go further in a smooth manner.

“The extension of such a general amnesty would serve as a huge confidence-building measure that would reinforce the spirit of dialogue and mutual trust between the people of Ladakh and the government of India,” the draft proposal said.

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It said such a gesture would also be in keeping with India’s long democratic tradition of reconciliation and goodwill.

“The government of India has, in the past, adopted similar approaches in the Northeast as well as in Jammu and Kashmir, where the withdrawal of cases and release of detainees played a pivotal role in restoring normalcy and strengthening public confidence in the Union’s intentions.

"Such a healing hand approach in the case of Ladakh shall ensure that Ladakh always remains the peaceful place it has been known for in the country as well as in the subcontinent,” it said.

Two draft legislations

The proposal included two draft legislations- The State of Ladakh Act, 2025 and The Constitution 129th Amendment Act, 2025- respectively dealing with the setting up of a State Assembly and protection under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

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As for the protection under the Sixth Schedule, the draft argued that despite there being two hill councils with 60 local representatives, most of the power still lies with the UT administration, headed by the lieutenant governor. As a result, there is a huge void in the legislative autonomy, participatory governance, financial autonomy, and the powers to make legislation on customary and traditional laws, it said.

It stressed that there is a need to replace these Councils with Autonomous Development Councils on the lines of those under the Sixth Schedule.

Sixth Schedule issue

The draft also noted that the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes made a formal recommendation to the government in 2019 for the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule owing to Ladakh’s predominant tribal population.

The draft Constitution Amendment Bill says the provisions of Schedule VI shall apply to the administration of the “State of Ladakh”.

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It calls for the constitution of Ladakh Autonomous District Councils, with one autonomous district council for each district of Ladakh. It also presents a case for inclusion of Ladakh in Article 371 of the Constitution, and proposes its inclusion as 371K of special provision with respect to Ladakh.

The last meeting between the representatives of Ladakh and the Home Ministry sub-committee was held on October 22, which came after a near breakdown following the September 24 violence and subsequent arrest of Wangchuk.

(With agency inputs)