Center rejects Sixth Schedule, statehood for Ladakh, proposes council | India News

Jammu: The Center has made it clear that Ladakh will not get Sixth Schedule status or statehood, two key demands of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the region’s two leading political outfits said after talks in New Delhi last week.The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution allows for special administrative arrangements in tribal areas to safeguard autonomy, culture and land. Speaking publicly for the first time after holding talks with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) High Commission on February 4, the Ladakh leader said the Center was instead offering a “territorial commission” model.According to the proposal, the chief executive officer of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) will be designated as chief executive officer and the deputy chief executive officer will be designated as deputy chief executive officer.“We called it a farce. LAB and KDA rejected (the proposal), except for Kunzes Dolma, a member of KDA,” KDA co-chairman Asgar Ali Karbali told a gathering in Kargil on Wednesday.According to Kalbali, Dolma had previously supported the KDA’s agenda and was nominated as a member of the talks. “She told the high commission that a conspiracy was brewing to oust her from power and that she was happy with Ladakh’s Union Territory status. We will not tolerate anyone, be it Dolma or anyone else, playing with Ladakh’s identity,” Kalbali said.As Karbali spoke, many in the Kargil rally raised slogans against Dolma and shouted in support of Sonam Wangchuk. Sonam Wangchuck is a Labor Party member and climate activist who was imprisoned for violence during the Leh statehood protests in September 2025.After talks with the home ministry committee headed by Union Home Minister Home Nityanand Rai, Kalbali and Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) president Tsering Dorje Lakrook said the talks were inconclusive.“When we reaffirmed the status of the Sixth Schedule and the statehood, they (Home Ministry officials) argued that the Sixth Schedule had ‘lapsed’ and was essentially powerless. We disagree. The Supreme Court has time and again treated the Sixth Schedule itself as a law and a strong constitutional guarantee. If it is strong in the northeastern states, why is it suddenly being called weak in Ladakh?” Kalbali said.On the issue of statehood, Kalbali said the main objection of the home ministry was the lack of adequate financial resources in Ladakh. “When we requested that our legal experts be allowed to explain this, we were told that they cannot be called to the meeting. No state in India has all the resources within its own territory,” Kalbali argued.He reiterated that the LAB and KDA remained united in fighting for Sixth Schedule status and statehood as their core demands.