Centre, Ladakh groups finalize talks minutes, pave way for statehood and Article 371 negotiations
Centre, Ladakh groups finalize talks minutes. (Image courtesy: X/@SajjadKargili_)
New Delhi: The Centre and Ladakh’s two main civil society groups on Friday finalised the draft minutes of their May 22 meeting, clearing the way for the next round of formal negotiations on the Union territory’s long-pending demands. The meeting was held in Leh between representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and senior Union home ministry officials.
The finalized minutes state that while statehood will remain Ladakh’s long-term aspiration, discussions will continue on setting up a Union territory-level elected body with executive, financial and legislative powers. Both sides also agreed to pursue a customized constitutional safeguard for Ladakh under the framework of Article 371, with a draft proposal to be prepared for further discussions.
The meeting was convened after LAB and KDA objected to the draft minutes of the May 22 meeting, alleging that key points related to legislative powers and constitutional safeguards had been omitted. The groups had also observed a bandh in Ladakh on June 23 over the issue.
Sonam Wangchuk did not attend Friday’s meeting as he was in Delhi to participate in a protest organized by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). The discussions were attended by Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa, additional Union home secretary Prashant Sitaram Lokhande, chief secretary Ashish Kundra, LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakruk and KDA co-chairman Asgar Ali Karbalai.
Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra said in a post on X that the meeting was held in a positive and constructive spirit and concluded with a consensus on the broad framework agreed during the May 22 talks in New Delhi.
Lakruk told the Economic Times that the government had incorporated the group’s key concerns into the minutes and that formal negotiations would now continue in New Delhi. Karbalai also welcomed the outcome, saying the Centre had addressed almost all of the group’s concerns and agreed to work towards a constitutional model best suited for Ladakh.
The minutes also record the Ladakh groups’ demand for the withdrawal of cases related to the September 24, 2025 incident.
The LAB and KDA have been spearheading the campaign for statehood, sixth schedule protections and constitutional safeguards since Ladakh became a Union territory in 2019. Friday’s agreement is expected to pave the way for the next phase of formal negotiations between the Centre and the region’s representatives.
