Ladakh officials to meet Home Ministry officials on May 22, Sonam Wangchuk part of delegation

Sonam Wangchuk. | Photo credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

A civil society delegation from Ladakh, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was released from National Security Act (NSA) custody on March 14, is set to meet Union Home Ministry officials on Friday (May 22, 2026).

This is the first such meeting of members of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the two bodies representing Leh and Kargil districts, since February 4, when the High Power Committee (HPC) meeting chaired by Home Minister Nityanand Rai was held in New Delhi. The meeting remained a draw.

A subcommittee made up of ministerial officials will meet with the delegation on Friday (May 22). This will be the first time Mr. Wangchuk will attend a meeting with ministry officials.

Recent Received

The delegations that met before did not mention his name because he was recently inducted into the LAB.

KDA and LAB are demanding constitutional guarantees such as statehood and inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, giving it tribal status.

Formerly a part of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019 after reading Article 370 of the Constitution.

Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, co-organizer of the LAB, said they will stick to their demands from 2020, which include statehood for Ladakh.

After the violence that took place on 24 September 2025 in the city of Leh, in which four people, including a Kargil war veteran, were killed in police firing, the talks came to a standstill. Ministry officials have so far offered only the guarantees available under Article 371 of the Constitution and insisted on strengthening the mountain councils. Article 371 deals with “Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions” and exists in 12 states.

On April 26, Ladakh Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the notification of five new districts – Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass – announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in August 2024.

Published – 21 May 2026 21:43 IST