Ladakh groups on Wednesday expressed disappointment after a meeting with the MHA sub-committee, saying the government failed to produce the much-awaited draft on a proposed elected body for the Union Territory.
Climate activist and Leh Apex Body (LAB) member Sonam Wangchuk said there has been "no special progress" since the May 22 meeting.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) members said they had come to Delhi expecting the Ministry of Home Affairs to place before them a draft outlining the structure, powers and other details of the proposed elected UT-level body.Instead, Wangchuk said, the delegation was given a list of questions for discussion at the next meeting.
"People had lots of expectations because four months have passed since the last meeting. And there was a lot of time with the MHA. A lot of work could have been done in the meantime. But today the draft also did not come in front of us," Wangchuk said after the meeting. "In fact, a list of questions came, which we will discuss in the next meeting. It was a kind of joke," he said.
Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra, however, described the meeting in positive terms, saying it involved a discussion on a governance model based on Article 371 of the Constitution.
Wangchuk said the meeting essentially reiterated the understanding reached during the May 22 discussions that Ladakh would have an assembly, direct delimitation and elections.
"Whatever happened on 22nd May, there will be an assembly, direct delimitation and elections. Those things were repeated. No special progress was made," he said.KDA representative Sajjad Kargili said the delegation had expected the draft to be ready.
"We had come from Ladakh with the hope that a draft would be ready for creating the UT-level elected body, an issue on which there is a consensus. We were hoping that the talks would go forward from there… But unfortunately, we were disappointed," he said.Kargili said the meeting had reiterated that the proposed UT-level body would be elected, with separate delimitation and constituencies.
They were also assured of constitutional safeguards covering land, mining, identity, culture and languages."However, we will consider these things satisfactory only when a draft of this will reach us and on that draft, we will see whether these things are coming down to the ground or not," Kargili said.
Wangchuk said the Centre indicated that compensation would be provided to those killed or injured during the September 24, 2025 violence in Leh.
"One thing we can say gives hope is those who were martyred or injured on 24th September last year; they are ready to give compensation. And they will announce it soon," he said.
On the cases registered in connection with the violence, Wangchuk said the delegation rejected a proposal for their withdrawal in phases and insisted that all cases be withdrawn together.
"We demanded that all cases should be withdrawn together. They said they will think about it. For now, we cannot say that they expressed their consent," he said."So this meeting was not successful. And we are very disappointed," Wangchuk said.
The groups also pressed for early legislation and elections to establish the democratic body."A bill should be brought in the Parliament as soon as possible, like in the Winter Session," Wangchuk said. He said the LAB and KDA gave in writing that they would oppose any major decision that could alter the "shape and form" of Ladakh before the proposed democratic body is formed.
The issue, Wangchuk said, was conveyed to Kundra after the MHA sub-committee said such matters were outside its scope.
Wangchuk warned that the Ladakh groups could resume agitation if major decisions were taken before an elected democratic body is established.
"And if there is a compulsion, then we will have to agitate again. We hope that this will not happen," he said.Kundra had a different view of the meeting in the national capital."Attended the sub committee meeting with leaders of Ladakh at MHA in Delhi today. A general air of positivity prevailed as the broad contours of a Sui-generis model of governance under Article 371 of the Constitution were discussed. Deepening democracy is the goal," he said on X.
The next meeting is likely to be held in Kargil in the first week of October, according to Wangchuk.
The LAB and KDA have been engaged in talks with the Centre over Ladakh's political and constitutional demands since 2021.
The groups have been seeking an elected legislative body at the UT level and safeguards for land, jobs, culture and identity.
The outfits, in a statement, said that even after the meeting, there was no clarity on the overall distribution of powers, including law and order, which they said is necessary for proper governance.
The two groups also said they unanimously conveyed to the home ministry that no major irreversible changes in Ladakh's governance mechanisms or land transfers should be undertaken before the elected UT-level body is constituted.
Ladakh was made a Union Territory without a legislature in 2019.
The May 22 talks had resulted in an in-principle understanding on an elected UT-level body and a customised constitutional safeguards framework under Article 371.
The minutes of those discussions were subsequently revised to include, among other things, provisions relating to the elected body's control and supervision over officials handling subjects under its jurisdiction.
The September 9 meeting came days after the LAB warned of intensified agitation if the Centre failed to make concrete progress on its demands.
(Agencies)