New Delhi, Oct 19: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has called Ladakh leaders to New Delhi on October 22 for crucial discussions over their long-pending demands for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Officials said the ministry has invited a six-member sub-committee representing the region—three from the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and three from the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA)—along with the Member of Parliament from Ladakh, for the talks.
The move comes two days after the Centre announced a judicial inquiry into the September 24 violence in Leh district, in which four people were killed when security personnel opened fire on protesters. The violence, which erupted during a demonstration demanding constitutional safeguards and the release of detained activists, has sharpened political fault lines in the Union Territory.
Confirming the development, LAB co-chairman and sub-committee member Cherring Dorjay Lakruk said the delegation had received formal communication from the MHA. “We have been called to New Delhi for discussions on the Sixth Schedule and statehood for Ladakh,” Lakruk told The Tribune.
He added that the team would also raise the issue of the detained activists during the meeting. “We will press for the release of Sonam Wangchuk and 25 others who were arrested after the September 24 protests in Leh,” he said.
According to Lakruk, the delegation will first hold internal consultations before meeting the high-powered committee constituted by the MHA to examine Ladakh’s concerns. “We want the talks to be constructive and time-bound,” he noted, adding that the people of Ladakh have waited long enough for constitutional and administrative guarantees.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, Ladakh’s political and social groups have repeatedly voiced demands for greater autonomy and protection of local rights. The region’s leadership has been united on four key issues—grant of statehood, inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, creation of a separate Public Service Commission, and allocation of two parliamentary seats instead of one.
Both the LAB and KDA have held multiple rounds of discussions with the Centre since 2021 but have complained of limited progress. They argue that inclusion under the Sixth Schedule is essential to safeguard land, employment, and cultural identity of Ladakh’s tribal communities.
