Talks between Ladakh groups and the MHA failed to resume due to a rift over the government. proposal

Proposed talks between the Union Home Ministry and representatives from Ladakh did not take place on Thursday (October 22, 2026) due to growing differences among civil society groups over the Centre’s proposal in the Union Territory.

Leh civil society groups, notably the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), termed the 32-page draft, which proposes a new governance structure for Ladakh, a “deviation from earlier promises”.

Ladakh has seen frequent street protests since it was carved out as a union territory from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. Since then, the region has been demanding statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Plan (which allows autonomy for certain tribal areas).

A Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sub-committee tasked with holding discussions with Ladakh representatives was scheduled to meet on October 22 in New Delhi to further discuss the 32-page proposal shared with the LAB and KDA on October 15 in Leh. However, the negotiations did not take place.

A dissenting note

The Civil Society Forum of Ladakh (CSFL), a civil society group based in Leh, projects as a new stakeholder in the issue. “This forum regrets to note that despite several rounds of talks and consensus reached between the Government of India (GoI) and representatives of LAB and KDA, the same consensus is being consistently ignored by shifting wickets and delaying tactics. This has created a trust deficit and is against the larger interest of Ladakh,” CSFL members said in a joint statement.

The CSFL consists of BJP leader and former Member of Parliament Thupstan Chhewang, former Ladakh-Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC-Leh) executive member Rigzen Spalbar; former legislator Tsering Samphel, representatives of Thiksey and Thuksey Rinpoche as well as members of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA).

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to “take note of the ground reality”. “LAB and KDA no longer represent an inclusive voice of all districts,” the forum said. He also urged the Center to hold panchayat elections and “strengthen the powers of the High Councils in all the eight districts until a constitutional arrangement is achieved at the Union Territory level”.

“This forum observes with deep concern that the original agenda adopted by the LAB for constitutional guarantees for land, jobs, culture and environment is being hijacked. The dialogue is now dominated by one individual (climate activist) Sonam Wangchuk and KDA, which threatens the real interests of the districts and the Buddhist community. What was supposed to be a dialogue for an amicable solution,” he said, has turned into a process of confrontation of Lada’s interests, which is not a confrontation of LadaI’s interests.

“Complex Exercise”

The forum also endorsed Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra’s recent statement that “creating a democratic political institution at the UT level with full constitutional guarantees under provisions similar to Article 371 is a complex constitutional exercise that will require time, detailed proposals and parliamentary process”. “Given the consistent tactics of resistance and delay adopted by LAB and KDA, such a solution seems far-fetched in the near future,” the forum said.

He stressed that only elected senior councils in each district “can provide real protection for land, culture, natural resources, trade, recruitment, tourism and mining licences”. “The safeguards under Article 371 and the actual powers of the LAHDC will ensure that no outsider can buy land, get a job or a license without the approval of this district council,” he added.

The forum said that without panchayats for the past six years, village level development, MGNREGA and funds have stalled. “This is against the spirit of the 73rd Amendment. Elections will bring to the fore real representatives of the public, not self-styled leaders, and create authentic partners for future talks with Gol,” the forum said.

Meanwhile, LAB co-chairwoman Chering Dorjay Lakrook issued a statement countering the claims of a civil society group led by Mr Chewang. Mr Lakrook said he called Mr Kundra on the morning of October 20 and asked for confirmation of a meeting planned for October 22 with the ministry “so that the issues can be discussed comprehensively and directly”.

Referring to “increasing speculation, allegations and attempts to misrepresent LAB’s position”, Mr Lakrook also shared documents and proposals exchanged with the MHA. “I urge everyone to scrutinize the documents, understand the differences between the proposals and assess the progress made, the commitments made and the issues that remain unresolved. At this critical juncture, public debate must be guided by facts, transparency and the larger interests of Ladakh, rather than speculation,” Mr Lakrook said.

He said that the LAB has consistently pursued a solution-oriented approach to ensure meaningful constitutional guarantees and democratic rights for Ladakh. “Our firm stand to protect the interests of our people must not be misconstrued as confrontation. Finding a just and lasting solution is not confrontation, it is our responsibility to the people of Ladakh,” Mr Lakrook said.

Referring to the July talks between Ladakh and civil society groups, Mr Lakrook said: “The understanding recorded is an important part of the ongoing process and deserves careful public scrutiny as discussions continue towards a meaningful and lasting solution. The people of Ladakh have made immense sacrifices and patiently waited for their aspirations to be fulfilled. We must remain united and steadfastly protect Ladakh’s rights, democratic identity, constitutional efforts in the future.”

On October 17, Mr Kundra reiterated the Centre’s commitment to the process of shaping the constitutional structure to provide a customized sui generis model to meet the region’s requirements and called for dialogue and discussion on the MHA proposal. The statement came a day after LAB and KDA rejected MHA’s 32-page proposal, saying it was a “significant departure from the assurances and commitments made during previous negotiations” by the Centre.

Municipal elections

Meanwhile, Ladakh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rahul Sharma on Friday (October 23, 2026) announced the schedule for municipal elections in Leh and Kargil, with voting set for November 21. The election notification will be issued on October 29, with the last date for filing nominations being November 5. into effect with immediate effect and the election process will be completed by November 30, officials said.

The State Election Commission (SEC) in Ladakh had earlier announced that panchayat elections are scheduled for November 21, 2026. It has announced 100 constituencies for eight districts of the region.

Published – 23 Oct 2026 22:51 IST