Ladakh talks: Sonam Wangchuk hints at progress, no final decision

Sonam Wangchuk says meaningful progress has been made in talks with the Centre for Ladakh's autonomy. A proposal for a legislative assembly with safeguards under Article 371 is being discussed, though no final decision has been made.

Climate activist and Ladakh campaigner Sonam Wangchuk on Saturday indicated that meaningful progress had been made in talks with the Central Government over Ladakh's long-pending demands for democratic representation, even as he cautioned that no final decision had yet been taken.

Government Proposes Article 371 Safeguards

Speaking to ANI, Wangchuk elaborated on the contours of the proposal. "Ladakh has always demanded safeguards under Article 244 and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, and statehood. The government proposed to grant similar safeguards under Article 371, which cannot be implemented without an elected Assembly," he said.

'In Principle Understanding' Reached on Legislative Body

Taking to social media, Wangchuk described the outcome of a meeting held at the Ministry of Home Affairs as an "in principle understanding," stating that a broad consensus had been reached on restoring democracy to the Union Territory through a tailor-made legislative body, one that would hold executive, financial, and law-making powers, with safeguards modelled on Article 371 of the Constitution. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and the Leh Apex Body, two key civil society groupings that have been at the forefront of Ladakh's push for greater self-governance since its reorganisation as a Union Territory in 2019.

Statehood Demand and Fiscal Constraints

On the question of full statehood, a central demand of Ladakh's people, Wangchuk acknowledged the fiscal constraints that currently make it untenable. "Right now, Ladakh does not have that much revenue to pay for government employees," he noted, adding that the two sides had proposed an Assembly that, while falling short of statehood, would function at Ladakh's level until sufficient revenue is generated.

Shift in Bureaucratic Control

A significant element of the understanding, Wangchuk pointed out, concerns the control of bureaucracy. Under the proposed arrangement, the elected head of the legislative body would have overall authority over the Chief Secretary and the broader administration, a significant shift from the current structure, where the Lieutenant Governor holds that power.

'Work is Still in Progress'

However, Wangchuk was careful to temper expectations, telling ANI, "There was only a proposal, and no decision was taken as we need to work on its details. I would say the work is still in progress." (ANI)

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