Ladakh groups reject the government’s proposal, calling it a “significant departure” from the assurances

Talks between the Center and Ladakh hit an impasse on Friday (Oct 16, 2026) as key civil society groups, Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), categorically rejected the new draft of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) proposal shared on Thursday (Oct 15, 2026) terming it as “commitments made during the previous diversion and commitments as significant during the meetings”.

“LAB and KDA thoroughly scrutinized the proposal presented by MHA during the sub-committee meeting held on 15 October 2026. Both bodies categorically reject the proposal in principle as it represents a significant departure from the assurances and commitments made during previous sub-committee meetings,” the groups said in a joint statement.

The authorities urged the ministry to reconsider the proposal and accept the draft memorandum of understanding submitted by them in its true spirit and in its entirety. “The draft MoU reflects the real aspirations of the people of Ladakh and the demands that LAB and KDA have been consistently pushing for since 2021,” they said.

The next round of talks is likely to be held in New Delhi on October 22.

Members of the ministry’s high-powered sub-committee met groups and local leaders in Leh on Thursday (Oct 15, 2026) and shared a 15-page draft plan to tackle the region’s problems. Ever since Ladakh was carved out as a Union Territory (UT) in 2019, there have been frequent protests in the region over demands for statehood and Sixth Plan status.

After studying the new proposal, civil society groups said it “will not satisfy the requirement for a legislative assembly and constitutional guarantees under Article 371, including a provision tailored to the unique circumstances of Ladakh”.

“Instead, it proposes a North East Border Agency type arrangement that falls far short of the proposed UT with legislation, which was the minimum guarantee from which a sui generis model could be developed as agreed at the meeting on 22 May 2026 and recorded in the Minutes of Meeting (MoM) signed and agreed on 3 July based on the meeting,” they said.

The groups said the proposed framework appeared closer to the territorial council model, with significant powers concentrated in the lieutenant governor’s administration, rather than providing the meaningful legislative, executive and constitutional guarantees sought by the people of Ladakh.

LAB and KDA will submit a detailed response to the ministry on Sunday (October 18) detailing their objections and reiterating their position.

“The people of Ladakh deserve a meaningful constitutional framework that respects past commitments and protects their political, cultural and democratic aspirations, rather than an arrangement that dilutes them,” they added.

The standoff between Ladakh and the Center emerged despite the parties indicating in May that they had reached a resolution in long-running talks in the wake of frequent protests in the region.

In July, the government indicated “its own sui generis model which is best suited for Ladakh” and declared that such provisions would be made under the provisions of Article 371. The proposal was discussed and mentioned in the minutes of the sub-committee meeting of the High Committee.

The ministry’s note states that the next logical step would be to further strengthen the UT through a democratic institutional framework that provides a political voice. According to the details of the meeting, it was decided that a draft proposal covering the powers and functions (executive, financial and legislative) of this elected body at the UT level in harmonious relations with the Panchayati Raj institutions will be prepared for further discussion and fine-tuning.

Published – 16 Oct 2026 22:49 IST