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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Centre advances talks to July 20; Sonam Wangchuk defers hunger strike
Following a proposal by the BJP government at the Centre to pre-pone another rounds of talks over statehood and Sixth Schedule to Ladakh, president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, co-chairman of the Leh apex body and former minister, Chering Dorje Lakrook on Saturday announced that environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk has deferred his 35 day-long hunger strike. Sonam Wangchuk, newly inducted into the Leh apex body, was set to begin a hunger strike on July 15.(PTI ) Wangchuk, a newly inducted member of the Leh apex body, had planned to go on hunger strike from July 15, if the Centre failed to hold talks with LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) before July 15. Addressing a press conference at Leh, Lakrook said, 'Since a new proposal has come from the Centre to hold talks on July 20 and there is no big gap between July 15 and 20, Sonam Wangchuk has decided to defer his hunger strike.' 'However, we have to see if they (MHA) invite us on July 20 for another round of talks. At the same time, we have to see if they include statehood and Sixth Schedule in the agenda or not because we don't want to remain entangled on the issue of unemployment. A lot of talks followed by action for jobs has already taken place,' said Lakrook. On recent developments regarding the Buddhist spiritual leader Thupstan Chhewang parting ways with LAB, he said, 'We will resolve the issue soon.' Leh apex body along with Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has been spearheading a protracted agitation for statehood and Sixth Schedule to Ladakh. The home ministry had earlier assured to hold the meeting on July 28, which according to LAB, has now pre-poned the date to July 20. Following continual agitations by the people of Ladakh, the Union home ministry had formed a high-powered committee in 2023 under minister of state Nityanand Rai to discuss ways to protect Ladakh's unique culture, considering its location and strategic importance. During his visit to the strategic region on June 30 and July 1, union home secretary Govind Mohan had met a delegation of the Leh apex body and assured them that next meeting of the MHA with apex body and KDA will be convened soon. It may be stated here that Sonam Wangchuk has recently joined the Leh apex body and also agreed upon to represent high powered committee and sub committee during deliberations with the union home ministry. However, veteran Buddhist spiritual leader Thupstan Chhewang recently quit the apex body and high powered committee. He was the chairman of the high powered panel. In a statement issued to media, Chhewang reiterated his decision to stay away from electoral politics and partisan affiliations. 'In keeping with this stance, I hereby resign as Chairman and member of the Apex Body, as well as from the High-Powered Committee. I prefer not to be entangled in competing interests,' he said in the note.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
In Ladakh, 85% job quota for locals
The Centre has introduced new reservation and domicile policies for Ladakh, reserving 85% of jobs for locals and one-third of seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils for women. The Kargil Democratic Alliance and Apex Body Leh have welcomed these notifications as a positive step. Dialogue will continue regarding statehood and the implementation of the Sixth Schedule. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Srinagar: The Centre on Tuesday announced new reservation and domicile policies for Ladakh, reserving 85% jobs for locals and one-third of the total number of seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils for Kargil Democratic Alliance (KBL) and Apex Body Leh (ABL), which are fighting for implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in the Union Territory (UT), statehood, a separate public service commission and two Lok Sabha seats for Ladakh, welcomed the notifications as a welcome step in the right direction. They said dialogue for statehood and Sixth Schedule implementation will Centre's multiple notifications aimed at safeguarding the local interests of people in Ladakh spelt out changes in policies for reservation in jobs, autonomous councils, domicile and of the notifications on reservation specified that the total percentage of reservation for locals will not case exceed 85 per cent excluding economically weaker sections, for which it is 10 per cent. The new notifications also specified that those who have resided in Ladakh for a period of 15 years or studied for a period of seven years and appeared in class 10 or 12 examinations in an educational institution located in the UT shall be considered domicile of Ladakh for the purposes of appointment to any post under the UT or under a local or other authority other than cantonment another notification, the government said that in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997, not less than one-third of the total number of seats in the councils will be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different territorial constituencies. Besides making English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti and Purgi the official languages of Ladakh, the government said English will continue to be used for all official purposes of the UT for which it was being used before the date of commencement of this regulation."This is a satisfactory decision by the government of India and they have done as was discussed in the meetings with us. Now one chapter is closed and we have been assured that dialogue on other demands will start within a month," said Chering Dorjay Lakruk of Democratic Alliance member Sajjad Kargili said, "Something is better than nothing. We now expect that a notification for jobs would be issued soon as well."The ABL and KDA held a meeting with the Centre in the last week of May in Delhi and now they have been assured that another meeting will be slotted in the last week of two bodies were formed in Leh and Kargil after 2019, when Ladakh was carved out as a separate Union territory from Jammu and Kashmir to strive for the rights of the people across the region. They joined hands and held a series of protest meetings in Ladakh, Jammu and December 2023, the Centre started talks with the two bodies which were stalled briefly and resumed after a series of protests the next year. Besides, in 2024, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk sat on a fast for several days demanding implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in Ladakh to preserve its environment, culture and natural resources. His movement greatly helped the cause of ABL and KDA. In August 2024, the Centre created five new districts in Ladakh.
Indian Express
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Centre notifies domicile rules, seeks to address Ladakh job, quota concerns
THE CENTRE has notified a series of regulations aimed at addressing Ladakh's concerns over jobs, quotas and cultural preservation. The new legal framework introduces a domicile-based job reservation system, recognition of local languages, and procedural clarity in civil service recruitment. As per the new regulations, a person has to be a resident of Ladakh for 15 years to get a domicile certificate and be eligible for jobs, while the total quota for SC/STs has been capped at 85%, excluding the reservation for EWS. Since Ladakh is 90% tribal, it would virtually give reservation to all the indigenous Ladakhis. The law, as it existed until now, under the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, only mentioned that reservation for SC/STs 'shall not exceed the ratio and proportion as the population of each such category'. The regulations, issued on Monday and Tuesday, come amid demands in Leh and Kargil for tribal autonomy and legal protection following Ladakh's bifurcation from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. However, the regulations do not address another key Ladakh demand, for restricting land ownership by outsiders, which is behind the call for constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule. Sajjad Kargili of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, which has been spearheading protests in the Kargil region of Ladakh and been part of the meetings between the Centre and Ladakh civil society groups over their demands, expressed partial satisfaction over the regulations notified by the government. 'Something is better than nothing. There was a huge pressure from the public due to rising unemployment. We hope the government will also quickly notify vacancies now and fill up posts so that the frustration of youth is addressed,' Kargili told The Indian Express. The most substantive change comes in the form of the Ladakh Civil Services Decentralization and Recruitment (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, which inserts a clear domicile criterion for recruitment into government services in the Union Territory. Under Section 3A of the amended regulation, a person is considered a domicile of Ladakh if they have resided in the region for 15 years, or studied there for at least seven years and appeared in Class 10 or 12 examinations. Children of Central government employees who have served in Ladakh for at least 10 years are also eligible. The accompanying rules, notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday, lay out a detailed procedure for issuing domicile certificates, with tehsildars designated as the competent authority and deputy commissioners as the appellate authority. Applications may be made physically or online, the rule states, adding: 'The format shall clearly mention that the domicile certificate is valid only for the purpose of appointment to the posts under the Union Territory of Ladakh.' Following a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah last week, a High-Powered Committee (HPC) comprising representatives from both Leh and Kargil had reached a consensus to define a timeline for domicile certificates for Ladakh. At the meeting, a consensus was reached that anyone living in Ladakh for 15 years from 2019 onwards could be considered a domicile of the region. This was a climbdown from the earlier demand that domicile certification require a period of stay of 30 years. However, since the starting point is 2019, the first domicile certificates would take effect in Ladakh only in 2034. Incidentally, in the case of J&K, there is no cut-off year from when the 15-year stay in the UT is to be calculated for the purpose of domicile. The Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, updates the earlier Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, capping overall reservations at 85% for SCs and STs, excluding the EWS quota. It's seen as a way to streamline existing quotas without creating new categories specific to Ladakh's tribal demography. Over 90% of Ladakh's population is ST, with Buddhist and Muslim tribal communities dominating Leh and Kargil, respectively. The 85% reservation allows near-complete representation for tribal and socially backward groups, aligning with Ladakh's demography. This is substantively different from other UTs or states where STs are a minority compared to the rest of the population. By explicitly excluding EWS from the 85% limit, the regulation safeguards tribal and backward class quotas from being eroded by newer economic reservations. This addresses Ladakh's concerns regarding identity-based protections. Besides, through the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, 'one-third reservation for women' is now mandated in these councils through rotation of constituencies. However, while LAHDCs in Leh and Kargil have played a key role in local governance, their powers remain limited, especially in the absence of Sixth Schedule protection. To address concerns about cultural erosion, the government has notified The Ladakh Official Languages Regulation, 2025, which recognises English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti and Purgi as official languages of the Union Territory. In addition, Section 4 of the regulation empowers the Administrator to set up institutional mechanisms and an 'Academy of Art, Culture and Languages' to promote native dialects such as Shina, Brokskat, Balti and Ladakhi. However, this may not entirely satisfy the demand for protections in Ladakh as the regulation lacks enforceable mandates for the use of these languages in official functions or education. Since the special status of J&K was scrapped and Ladakh was carved out as a separate UT, residents have been seeking inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides greater legislative and financial autonomy to tribal areas. In December 2023, a four-member committee formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to examine these demands held multiple consultations but stopped short of recommending Sixth Schedule status. The Centre is believed to be reluctant to include Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, and has repeatedly told delegations that have had meetings with Amit Shah and other senior Home Ministry officials that the Centre will nevertheless provide safeguards to jobs, land, culture and language through legislation. Unemployment has been a big concern for Ladakh since once it was carved out of J&K, it was disconnected from the employment policy of J&K, which retained its Public Service Commission. 'Over the last six years, no gazetted posts have been notified in Ladakh and nearly all recruitment is being done on contract basis,' Kargili had told The Indian Express earlier. On Tuesday, he said that the Ladakh civil society will continue to push for inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule. 'Our demand is that the domicile condition should be 30 years and not 15 years. Also, the new provisions do not address our concerns over land and environment… One of our key demands has been representative politics through the creation of an Assembly. So, these regulations are welcome, but they are only baby steps,' he said. Sources said the Ladakh delegations will meet Union Home Ministry representatives next month to discuss the pending issues. 'In our past meetings with Amit Shah, we have been assured that all issues will be discussed,' Kargili said.
Hindustan Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
New rules on reservation, domicile, languages notified for Ladakh
The Union government on Tuesday notified new rules for Ladakh, allowing reservation in government jobs for locals, a 15-year residency requirement for domicile status, one-third of seats in hill councils for women, and five official languages as part of efforts to safeguard the region's interests. In 2023, the Union home ministry formed a high-powered committee under junior minister Nityanand Rai to discuss ways to protect Ladakh's unique culture, considering its location and strategic importance. The panel, which included the members of Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance, deliberated protection of land and employment, and the empowerment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil, and other constitutional safeguards. The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment (Amendment) Regulation was notified days after the ministry and Ladakhi representatives met on May 27 and agreed to the rules, an official aware of the matter said. It defines a domicile for jobs as a person who has resided in the Union territory for 15 years, studied for seven years and appeared for class 10th or 12th examinations in Ladakh. This means any outsider settled in Ladakh after Jammu and Kashmir's was bifurcated into two Union territories in 2019 will be eligible for domicile status in 2034. A similar policy announced for Jammu and Kashmir in May 2020 said that individuals can claim domicile status if they lived there for at least 15 years, studied for seven years and appeared in class 10 or 12 exams there. The Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, also notified on Tuesday, says the reservation shall in no case exceed 85% of the available vacancies, excluding reservation for economically weaker sections. The official cited above said 80% of vacancies are reserved for the region's majority, Scheduled Tribes (STs), 4% for those living along the Line of Actual Control or Line of Control, 1% for the Scheduled Castes and 10% for the Economically Weaker Sections. The ministry had proposed 95% of the reservation for locals during discussions. A third notification issued on Tuesday provides for one-third seats for women in the hill councils by rotation to different territorial constituencies. The Ladakh Official Languages Regulation recognises English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi as the official languages and says that the administrator 'shall make special efforts for the promotion and development of other native languages of Ladakh: Shina (Dardic), Brokskat (Dardic), Balti and Ladakhi'. Sajjad Kargili, a leader from Kargil who participated in the high-powered panel meetings, called the notifications a positive step. 'All the assurances given by the government of India have been largely fulfilled. I believe this will now help local youth get employment in Ladakh, who have been in depression for the past six years, as no recruitment was done.' Kargili said they will continue discussions on other demands, including a separate Public Service Commission, statehood, and the region's inclusion in the Constitution's Sixth Schedule, which provides for the administration of tribal areas, establishment of autonomous councils with legislative, executive, judicial, and financial powers with a degree of self-governance. In February 2024, thousands protested in Delhi, Leh and other parts of Ladakh demanding statehood and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule. Activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 15-day fast in Delhi in October last year after a home ministry official met the protesters and promised to resume the talks related to Ladakh's development.
Indian Express
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Decode Politics: Ladakh closer to domicile policy, as concerns over jobs grow
Following a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday, the High-Powered Committee (HPC) that comprises members of the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance reached a consensus to define a timeline for domicile certificates for the Union Territory of Ladakh. The Centre is likely to issue a notification on the same next week. Why has Ladakh not had a domicile policy so far, and what is its importance? A look: A 15-member council, the HPC was constituted in 2023 in the aftermath of the mass protests in Ladakh claiming a threat to the fragile ecology of the region from industrial development projects approved by New Delhi. The people were angry that this was done 'without consent' from their side, since Ladakh is under Central control being a Union Territory. Post the abrogation of August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir had been split into two UTs, namely J&K, and Ladakh. The HPC was set up to address the concerns of the people, with representatives included from the key bodies of the two regions of Ladakh – the Apex Body Leh, for Leh, and Kargil Democratic Alliance for Kargil. In May 2020, the Union Ministry of Home notified domicile rules for J&K via an amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment) Act, 2010. The rules specified that any person 'who has resided for a period of 15 years in the UT of J&K or has studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10th/12th examination in an educational institution located in the UT of J&K' would be eligible for domicile certification. In case of former 'permanent residents' or 'state subjects' of J&K, as they were previously termed, the document would form the basis for the new certificate. However, there is no domicile policy for Ladakh. At the HPC meeting, a consensus was reached that anyone living in Ladakh for 15 years from 2019 onwards could be considered a domicile of the region. The two Ladakh bodies hence climbed down from their earlier demand that domicile certification require a period of stay of 30 years. If this domicile policy is implemented for Ladakh, therefore, the first domicile certificates would take effect in 2034. A representative of Apex Body Leh, Cheering Dorji, said even the backtracking from 30-year stay requirement to 15 years was a 'win for the people of Ladakh', given the 2019 cut-off date from when this is to apply. 'The talks between the Centre and Ladakh had been stalled for some time over the issue. The outcome of Tuesday's meeting will help secure jobs for local students since the baseline for domicile is 2019 and this gives us some time to consolidate benefits,' he said. Incidentally, in the case of J&K, there is no cut-off year from when the stay in the UT is to be calculated. Unemployment has been a big concern for Ladakh since it was carved out of J&K. This disconnected it from the employment policy of J&K, which retained its Public Service Commission. As a UT without a legislature, Ladakh is even more under bureaucratic control than J&K. 'Over the last six years, no gazetted posts have been notified in Ladakh and nearly all recruitment is being done on contract basis. This is a big loss for the students of Ladakh, who have gained qualifications for these jobs despite the struggle to get higher education here due to our harsh climate and topography,' Sajjad Kargili, a member of the HPC, told The Indian Express. Against this backdrop, a big rise in the number of domicile certificate holders would end up making the competition for government jobs even tougher. Incidentally, approximately 90% of the population in Ladakh falls under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, which means they are big beneficiaries of the reservation policy. Responding to a question in the last session of the J&K Assembly in April, the government said that over 83,000 domicile certificates had been issued to 'non-state subjects' since August 2019. As a result of this, West Pakistan refugees, safai karamcharis and children of women married outside J&K became eligible for domicile certificates. In J&K too, domicile is a touchy issue, with many worried about 'outsiders' taking over their land and jobs.
