SRINAGAR: Leaders of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which are spearheading the agitation for constitutional safeguards and a UT-level elected body in Ladakh, have opposed the Centre’s amendments to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC) Act, alleging that they curtail the powers of the elected councils and strengthen the UT administration’s control.
KDA co-chairman Sajjad Kargili said the Centre had made substantial changes to the composition, powers and functioning of the Hill Councils without consulting the people and stakeholders of Ladakh, even as talks on constitutional safeguards were underway.
“The government is effectively changing the institutional framework that the ongoing negotiations between Ladakh leaders and MHA are meant to address, while giving UT administration greater control over the composition and functioning of the Councils,” he said.
Kargili questioned the Centre’s commitment to the ongoing dialogue, saying the changes raised concerns about whether any eventual settlement would guarantee meaningful autonomy for Ladakh or leave its representative institutions subject to executive discretion.
On October 16, the Centre amended the LAHDC Act, 1997, introducing changes to the Councils’ composition, electoral procedures, tenure, administrative powers, financial arrangements and functioning.
Under the amended provisions, the Ladakh Administration will determine the number of elected members in each Council, with a minimum of seven and a maximum of 24 seats. It may also nominate up to four members from among women and communities.
The Councils will exercise district-level Panchayat powers, while their district plans must follow administrative guidelines and their bye-laws will require the Administration’s approval.
Gelek Phunchok, convenor of the LAB, said the amendments raised serious concerns about the autonomy of the elected Hill Councils, as their powers could remain under the effective control of the Lieutenant Governor and senior bureaucracy.
He said the new regulation might facilitate the creation of additional Hill Councils but did not adequately strengthen their powers over land, finance, recruitment, development planning and local regulations.
“The powers of elected Hill Councils must be strengthened, not diluted,” he said.
Gelek urged the Centre to reconsider the restrictive provisions and ensure meaningful legislative, financial and executive powers for the LAHDCs, along with constitutional safeguards for land, resources, employment and cultural identity through the proposed Article 371K framework.
The amendments came a day after talks between Ladakh leaders and Union Home Ministry officials in Leh on October 15 ended without a breakthrough on constitutional safeguards and a UT-level elected body. The two sides are scheduled to meet again in New Delhi on October 22.
