The proposed talks between the Union Home Ministry and representatives from Ladakh failed to take place on Thursday (October 22, 2026) amid growing differences among civil society groups over the Centre’s draft proposal for the Union Territory.
Leh’s civil society groups, particularly the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), had termed the 32-page draft, which proposes a new governance structure for Ladakh, “a departure from the earlier promises”.
Ladakh has been witnessing frequent street protests since it was carved out as a Union Territory in 2019 from the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, the region has been demanding the Statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule (that allows autonomy for certain tribal areas).
A sub-committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), mandated to talk with Ladakh representatives, was scheduled to meet on October 22 in New Delhi to further discuss the 32-page draft shared with the LAB and KDA on October 15 in Leh. However, the talks did not take place.
Dissent note
The Civil Society Forum of Ladakh (CSFL), a Leh-based civil society group, is projecting itself as a new stakeholder in the issue. “This forum notes with regret that despite several rounds of talks and consensus arrived at between the Government of India (GoI) and representatives of the LAB and KDA, the same consensus is being consistently disregarded through shifting goalposts and delaying tactics. This has created a trust deficit and is against the larger interest of Ladakh,” said the members of the CSFL in a joint statement.
The CSFL comprises BJP leader and ex-Member of Parliament Thupstan Chhewang, ex-chief executive councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Leh (LAHDC-Leh) Rigzen Spalbar; ex-legislator Tsering Samphel, representatives of Thiksey and Thuksey Rinpoche, and also members of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA).
It urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah “to take note of the ground reality”. “The LAB and KDA no longer represent the inclusive voice of all districts,” the forum said. It also appealed to the Centre to hold panchayat elections and “enhance powers of hill councils in all eight districts till Union Territory-level constitutional settlement is reached”.
“This forum observes with deep concern that the original agenda adopted by LAB for constitutional safeguards for land, jobs, culture and environment stands hijacked. The dialogue is now dominated by one individual (climate activist) Sonam Wangchuk and KDA, compromising the genuine interests of districts and the Buddhist community. What should have been a dialogue for an amicable solution has been converted into a process of confrontation with the GoI, which is not in the interest of Ladakh,” it said.
‘Complex exercise’
The forum also seconded Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra’s recent statement that “formation of a UT-level democratic political institution with full constitutional safeguards under Article 371-like provisions is a complex constitutional exercise, which will require time, detailed drafting, and Parliamentary process”. “In view of consistent opposing and delaying tactics adopted by the LAB and the KDA, such a solution seems far-fetched in the near future,” said the forum.
It underlined that only elected hill councils in every district “can give real protection to land, culture, natural resources, trading, recruitment, tourism and mining licences”. “Safeguards under Article 371 and genuine powers to LAHDCs will ensure no outsider can buy land, get a job or licence without concurrence of that District Council,” it added.
The forum said that without panchayats for the last six years, village-level development, MGNREGA, and funds are stalled. “This is against the spirit of the 73rd Amendment. Elections will bring genuine public representatives to the fore, not self-styled leaders, and will create authentic interlocutors for future talks with the Gol,” said the forum.
Meanwhile, LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakrook issued a counter statement to Mr. Chewang-led civil society group’s allegations. Mr. Lakrook said he made a call on the morning of October 20 to Mr. Kundra and sought confirmation of the meeting scheduled for October 22 with the Ministry, “so that the issues could be discussed comprehensively and directly”.
Referring to “growing speculation, allegations, and attempts to misrepresent the position of the LAB”, Mr. Lakrook also shared the documents and drafts exchanged with the MHA. “I urge everyone to examine the documents, understand the differences between the proposals, and assess the progress made, the commitments recorded, and the issues that remain unresolved. At this critical juncture, public discussion must be guided by facts, transparency, and the larger interests of Ladakh rather than speculation,” said Mr. Lakrook.
He said the LAB has consistently pursued a solution-oriented approach to secure meaningful constitutional safeguards and democratic rights for Ladakh. “Our firm stand on protecting the interests of our people must not be misconstrued as confrontation. Seeking a just and lasting solution is not confrontation; it is our responsibility to the people of Ladakh,” said Mr. Lakrook.
Referring to the talks held in July between Ladakh and civil society groups, Mr. Lakrook said, “The recorded understanding is an important part of the ongoing process and deserves careful public examination as discussions continue towards a meaningful and lasting resolution The people of Ladakh have made immense sacrifices and waited patiently for their aspirations to be fulfilled. We must remain united and steadfast in our efforts to safeguard Ladakh’s identity, land, employment, democratic rights, and constitutional future”.
On October 17, Mr. Kundra reiterated that the Centre was committed to the process of shaping the constitutional structure to provide a customised sui generis model to meet the demands of the region and called for a dialogue and discussion over the MHA draft proposal. The statement came a day after the LAB and the KDA rejected the MHA’s 32-page proposal and said it was “a significant departure from the assurances and commitments made during previous meetings” by the Centre.
Municipal electionis
Meanwhile, Ladakh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rahul Sharma on Friday (October 23, 2026) announced the schedule for municipal elections in Leh and Kargil, with polling set for November 21. The election notification will be issued on October 29, while the last date for filing nominations is November 5. The Leh Municipal Committee has 21 wards and Kargil has 17. The Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect, and the election process will be completed by November 30, officials said.
Earlier, the State Election Commission (SEC), Ladakh, had announced that the panchayat elections, scheduled for November 21, 2026. It notified 100 constituencies for the eight districts of the region.