Now Reading: Centre offers Ladakh constitutional safeguards under Article 371
-
01
Centre offers Ladakh constitutional safeguards under Article 371
The Centre has proposed constitutional safeguards under Article 371, instead of the Sixth Schedule, and a legislative body for Ladakh, activists said on Saturday. The offer was made during a meeting between…
The Centre has proposed constitutional safeguards under Article 371, instead of the Sixth Schedule, and a legislative body for Ladakh, activists said on Saturday. The offer was made during a meeting between representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), and a sub-committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk said the government proposed protections similar to Articles 371A and 371G, and agreed in principle to a governance structure for the entire region. KDA member Sajjad Kargili added that the Centre proposed legislative, executive, administrative and financial powers, and asked activists to share a formal draft for expert consultation.
The talks focused on Ladakh's demand for Sixth Schedule inclusion and statehood. Wangchuk said the government cited issues with the Sixth Schedule but is willing to consider Article 371 safeguards. Activists stressed no final agreement has been reached and discussions continue.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The offer of Article 371 protections, rather than the Sixth Schedule, is significant because the Sixth Schedule creates autonomous district councils with land and resource rights, while Article 371 provides special provisions that can be tailored. Ladakh has been without a legislature since its separation from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. The key unresolved issue is land rights: activists fear losing protection from outside land purchases. The next step is the formal draft the MHA has asked for, which will determine whether the proposal matches the region's long-standing demands. Watch for whether the draft includes a Hill Council model or a full legislative assembly.
Source: millenniumpost.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
