SRINAGAR: Ladakh leaders on Wednesday demanded a tailor-made democratic framework for the Union Territory, including an elected Legislative Assembly headed by a Chief Minister, greater control over Home Affairs, Public Order and Police, and a separate Ladakh Public Service Commission.
The demands were made during a meeting between leaders of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Ladakh MP Haji Haneefa Jan and officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Leh.
The KDA delegation was led by its co-chairmen Asgar Karbalai and Sajjad Kargili, while the LAB delegation was headed by co-chairman Chering Dorjey.
During the meeting, the Ladakh leaders presented a list of “non-negotiable” demands concerning the powers and functioning of the proposed democratic framework. They said the demands were based on an understanding reached between the MHA and Ladakh groups in New Delhi on May 22, 2026.
According to the draft minutes of the meeting, the MHA and Ladakh representatives had agreed that while statehood would remain Ladakh's long-term aspiration, an appropriate customised model of governance would be established through a UT-level elected body with executive, financial and legislative powers.
The Ladakh leaders demanded that the proposed framework include a Legislative Assembly headed by a Chief Minister and a Council of Ministers, with members elected from constituencies demarcated through a constitutionally recognised delimitation process.
They sought legislative and executive powers broadly based on Lists II and III of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, along with provisions of the Union Territories Act, 1963, wherever required.
The leaders also demanded that the Lieutenant Governor act on the aid and advice of the elected government and Assembly to prevent conflicts between elected representatives and the administrator.
On financial powers, they sought constitutionally protected control over taxation, budgeting, appropriation, expenditure, borrowing and public funds. They also demanded separate Consolidated and Contingency Funds for Ladakh.
The leaders said the proposed constitutional framework should incorporate provisions corresponding to Articles 198 to 209 of the Constitution, dealing with Money Bills, the annual financial statement, grants, appropriation and other financial procedures.
They further sought safeguards for the composition and powers of the proposed Assembly based on provisions applicable to certain states under Articles 371A, 371F and 371G.
On law and order, the Ladakh leaders demanded that Home Affairs, Public Order and Police be brought substantially under the control of the elected government and Legislative Assembly.
They also sought a separate Ladakh Public Service Commission, along with distinct Ladakh Administrative and Police Services and Ladakh-specific cadres. They called for necessary constitutional and legislative amendments, including changes to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, and Article 315, to establish the proposed public service framework.
The KDA and LAB, which represent political, social, religious, trade, student and civil society groups from Kargil and Leh, have been leading the agitation for statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh.
The two groups have maintained that there would be no compromise on their core demands and have rejected the MHA's proposal for a Territorial Council for Ladakh, under which the Chief Executive Councillor of the Hill Council would serve as the Union Territory's Chief Minister.
