MHA to Examine Constitutional Safeguards for Ladakh

Subject :Polity

Section: Federalism

Context:

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken a significant step in addressing the demands of civil society groups in Ladakh by agreeing to examine constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory.
This development is outlined in an order issued recently to re-constitute a high-powered committee (HPC) for Ladakh.

Background and Unrest:

Ladakh, with a population of 2.74 lakh as per the 2011 Census, has witnessed protests in recent years due to concerns about the protection of land, resources, and employment for locals.
The bifurcation of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories – J&K and Ladakh – in 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370, has contributed to the region’s unrest. Ladakh, unlike J&K, lacks a legislative assembly.

About Sixth Schedule (Indian Constitution):

The sixth schedule contains provisions related to the Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
The Sixth Schedule provides for the administration of certain tribal areas as autonomous entities.
The provisions of the sixth schedule are provided under Articles 244(2) and 275(1) of the Indian Constitution.

Key Highlights:

Committee Reconstitution:

The MHA has issued an order to re-constitute a high-powered committee (HPC) for the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Chaired by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, this 22-member committee includes representatives from both Kargil and Leh divisions.

Terms of Reference:

The committee’s terms of reference encompass a comprehensive set of objectives.
These include discussing measures to preserve Ladakh’s unique culture and language, ensuring protection of land and employment for the local population, promoting inclusive development and employment generation, and addressing concerns related to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill District Councils of Leh and Kargil.
Importantly, the committee is tasked with examining constitutional safeguards that could be implemented to ensure the aforementioned measures and protections.

Leh Apex Body’s Demands:

The Leh Apex Body, supported by the influential Ladakh Buddhist Association and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, has been advocating for statehood for Ladakh, inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, job reservations for locals, and parliamentary representation for both Leh and Kargil.