Only relevant issues of 6th Schedule to be sought
*Home Ministry may convene next meet shortly
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 4: In yet another step forward towards settlement of Ladakh issues, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) will finally be submitting their issues to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs jointly, in New Delhi on January 7 amid reports that they have sought implementation of limited provisions of Sixth Schedule and not in totality in the Union Territory while keeping three other issues unchanged.
Senior representatives of the twin bodies confirmed to the Excelsior that a joint representation by the LAB and KDA sought by the MHA in last meeting held in New Delhi on December 4, 2023 mentioning their issues specifically, is almost ready and is being given final touches.
“The representation will be submitted to the Home Ministry on January 7 in New Delhi by a couple of senior leaders of LAB and KDA,” the insiders said.
Asserting that the representation has been framed unanimously by both LAB and KDA after few rounds of talks, they said the Home Ministry had asked for it in December 4 meeting held in New Delhi before next round of dialogue.
“The Home Ministry suggested that there are many provisions in Sixth Schedule of the Constitution which don’t pertain to Ladakh and they can be excluded. Now, we have drafted representation carrying only those provisions of the Sixth Schedule which are relevant to the Union Territory,” the representatives said.
They, however, added that all those provisions of the Sixth Schedule which can give protection to the Union Territory of Ladakh in any form have been included in the representation and the two bodies are confident that the Home Ministry will implement them.
The representation included all three other demands of Ladakh including Statehood, two Parliamentary seats and setting up of the Public Services Commission (PSC).
As per the sources, the Union Home Ministry is likely to call a meeting of the High Powered Committee (HPC) shortly after receiving representation from the twin Ladakh bodies on January 7.
“The meeting is likely to be held either in New Delhi or in Leh,” the sources said, adding there have been reports that Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, who heads the HPC, could also travel to Leh as indicated by him in the last meeting.
An announcement on addressing some of the issues of Ladakh can be made by the Union Home Ministry in February well before the imposition of Model Code of Conduct for Lok Sabha elections in first week of March.
Sources said the MHA could make some announcements including safeguards for land, culture, identity etc. However, possibility of Statehood has been ruled out. As far as another demand of the two bodies regarding two Parliamentary seats for Ladakh instead of present one is concerned, it can be done only after 2026 as delimitation of constituencies has been freezed till then. On job opportunities and Public Services Commission (PSC) demand, all such issues are on top priority, the sources said.
It may be mentioned here that the BJP is not part of LAB and KDA though its Lok Sabha member from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgayal is member of the High Powered Committee (HPC) headed by Nityanand Rai. CEC-cum-Chairperson Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council Tashi Gyalson is also a BJP leader, who too is part of HPC.
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