Leh: The Centre's draft proposal for an elected body in Ladakh proposes that the Lieutenant Governor will be the final authority, and asks whether delimitation of constituencies for the body should be done by an election authority or a Delimitation Commission.
The draft also explores multiple options, including reserving one-third or up to 50% of the seats in the proposed body for women. The proposal relates to long-standing demands for greater political representation for Ladakh, which became a union territory in 2019 after the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Ladakh currently has two hill development councils, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil. Several groups, including the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, have demanded a UT-level elected body and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule.
The draft's questions on delimitation and women's reservation suggest the government is weighing options before finalising the framework. The proposal follows earlier statements that the Centre would consider an elected set-up for Ladakh.
The Ladakh administration is headed by the Lieutenant Governor. Under the union territory framework, the powers of the elected body would be defined by the law that creates it.
The draft has drawn attention from political and civil society groups in the region. No timeline has been announced for finalising the proposal, and the government has not stated when the elected body would be constituted.
Political and civil society groups in Ladakh have demanded Sixth Schedule safeguards and an independent elected body for years. The Centre had earlier signalled that it would consider an elected set-up for the region.