The Centre-Ladakh talks hit a deadlock on Friday (October 16, 2026) as key civil society groups, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), categorically rejected the fresh draft proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) shared on Thursday (October 15, 2026) and described it as “a significant departure from the assurances and commitments made during previous meetings”.
“The LAB and KDA have thoroughly examined the draft proposal presented by the MHA during the sub-committee meeting held on October 15, 2026. Both bodies categorically reject the draft proposal in principle, as it represents a significant departure from the assurances and commitments made during previous meetings of the sub-committee,” the groups said in a joint statement.
The bodies urged the Ministry to reconsider the proposal and accept the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) they submitted in its true spirit and in its entirety. “The draft MoU reflects the genuine aspirations of the people of Ladakh and the demands that LAB and KDA have consistently advocated since 2021,” they said.
Another round of talks is likely to be held in New Delhi on October 22.
Members of the Ministry’s High-Powered Sub-Committee met with the groups and local leaders in Leh on Thursday (October 15, 2026) and shared a 15-page draft roadmap to address the region’s concerns. Ever since Ladakh was carved out as a Union Territory (UT) in 2019, there have been frequent protests in the region over demands for Statehood and Sixth Schedule status.
The civil society groups, after studying the fresh draft, said it “fails to address the demand for a legislative assembly and constitutional safeguards under Article 371, including a provision tailored to Ladakh’s unique circumstances”.
“Instead, it proposes a North-East Frontier Agency-type arrangement that falls far short of the proposed UT with a legislature, which was the minimum guarantee from which a sui generis model could be developed as agreed upon in the meeting of 22 May 2026 and recorded in the Minutes of Meeting (MoM), which were signed and agreed on 3rd July pursuant to the meeting,” they said.
The groups said the proposed framework appears closer to a Territorial Council model, with substantial powers concentrated in the Lieutenant Governor’s administration, rather than ensuring the meaningful legislative, executive and constitutional safeguards sought by the people of Ladakh.
LAB and KDA will submit a detailed response to the Ministry on Sunday (October 18), elaborating on their objections and reiterating their position.
“The people of Ladakh deserve a meaningful constitutional framework that honours prior commitments and safeguards their political, cultural and democratic aspirations, rather than an arrangement that dilutes them,” they added.
The deadlock between Ladakh and the Centre has emerged despite stakeholders hinting in May that they had arrived at a resolution to the long-drawn talks in the wake of frequent protests in the region.
In July, the government had hinted at a “customised sui generis model, which is most suitable for Ladakh” and had stated that such provisions would be adopted under the provisions of Article 371. The proposal was discussed and mentioned in the minutes of the meeting of the sub-committee of the High-Powered Committee.
The Ministry note had said the next logical step would be to further empower the UT through a democratic institutional framework that provides a political voice. According to the meeting details, it was decided that a draft proposal covering the powers and functions (executive, financial, and legislative) of this UT-level elected body in harmonious relations with the Panchayati Raj Institutions would be prepared for further discussion and fine-tuning.
Published - October 16, 2026 10:49 pm IST