NEW DELHI: Following the onset of environmentalist-activist Sonam Wangchuk‘s indefinite fast in New Delhi, which aims to support the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in its campaign against alleged discrepancies in the NEET examination, significant political developments have swiftly unfolded in his home region of Ladakh. On Monday, the Ladakh administration declared the establishment of autonomous hill development councils for each of its seven districts, just ten days after the Centre and Ladakh representatives agreed on the minutes from the May 22 meeting with the home ministry, a negotiation in which Wangchuk played a pivotal role.
Throughout this period of high political activity, Wangchuk remained in the capital while engaging in his fast. The announcement to create autonomous councils encompasses the newly-formed districts of Nubra, Changthang, Sham, Zanskar, and Drass, alongside the existing councils in Leh and Kargil. During a press conference in Leh, Ashish Kundra, the chief secretary of Ladakh, described this initiative as a “major step towards democratic decentralisation and grassroots governance.”
The seven newly established councils will be empowered according to the LAHDC Act. Kundra emphasized that these councils will possess the same authority as Leh has held since 1995 and Kargil since 2003, ensuring that they receive full power rather than a diluted version. They will oversee land ownership and allocation, as well as regulate hiring and promotions for district-level positions.
These councils will function concurrently with existing Panchayati Raj institutions and will maintain a specific council fund. Additionally, they will have the authority to impose taxes and set fees. Each district will establish its revenue base and create development strategies covering health, education, tourism, local infrastructure, and social welfare initiatives.
The discussions from May 22 between Union home ministry officials and local bodies, including the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), marked a breakthrough in negotiations, with both sides agreeing on creating elected bodies at both Union Territory and district levels. These entities are to wield “full legislative, executive, financial, and administrative powers” along with constitutional protections under Article 371. However, a disagreement arose later when Ladakh representatives expressed concerns over the minutes of the meeting, which they felt undermined those assurances and contained bureaucratic control issues.
These concerns were addressed during a June 3 meeting in Leh, leading to the signing of the agreed minutes. Kundra stated that the forthcoming negotiations will aim to clarify the structure of the new UT-level elected body and the specific protections under Article 371. Both parties are currently working on their respective proposals, with a discussion date to be scheduled.
Kundra articulated that the proposed model for the UT and district-level bodies in Ladakh is unique in the nation and will incorporate the most effective aspects from other systems. The elected representation in the UT will extend to the village and district levels.
Moreover, he indicated that adjustments concerning the distribution of powers between the councils and the proposed UT body may soon follow. According to Section 3(1) of the LAHDC Act, each district is to have its council established from a date that the government will specify through a gazette notification. Only necessary amendments to the Act and constituency delimitation procedures remain, as stated by Kundra.
It is noteworthy that five of the seven Ladakh districts have a Buddhist majority, while Drass and Kargil are home to substantial Muslim populations.
