After years of delay, protests, and bloodshed, the Centre has proposed bringing Ladakh under Article 371, instead of including it under the Sixth Schedule. The proposal reportedly includes safeguards on the lines of Articles 371A and 371G, which provide special protections to Nagaland and Mizoram.

The Centre has also agreed in principle to create a governance structure for the whole of Ladakh, rather than limiting powers to district councils. The Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance have jointly demanded statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards for land and jobs, and greater democratic representation and autonomy.

Under the proposed framework, an elected institution representing the whole of Ladakh may receive powers to make laws, oversee administration, and exercise financial authority. Ladakh representatives have sought a formal written draft for consultation with legal and constitutional experts.

Activists have described the proposal as a major shift from earlier arrangements in which most powers rested with the lieutenant governor and the bureaucracy. It is a significant step for the people of Ladakh, who have been left without a legislature since 2019 and under the direct control of the Centre – a situation that has led to growing unrest, including the arrest of prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk.

The rights of the people must be restored through the granting of legislative, executive, administrative, and financial powers to Ladakh.