Centre proposes constitutional amendment to grant Ladakh elected body

The Ministry of Home Affairs has put forward a proposal to introduce a new Chapter K under Article 371 of the Indian Constitution, a move aimed at granting Ladakh its own elected representative body. The proposal was discussed during meetings between ministry officials and civil society members from the Union Territory.

Article 371 currently contains special provisions for various states including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, and others. The new chapter would establish a similar framework tailored specifically for Ladakh, which was carved out as a separate Union Territory in 2019 following the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to participants in the discussions, the proposed constitutional amendment would enable Ladakh to have a dedicated elected body to address regional governance and administrative matters. Ladakh, which currently falls under the direct administration of the Centre without its own legislative assembly, has seen growing demands from civil society groups for greater political representation and devolved decision-making powers.

Civil society representatives who attended the meeting with Centre officials have expressed the need for a comprehensive draft proposal to be made available for public scrutiny and consultation. This follows longstanding demands from various stakeholder groups in Ladakh for constitutional safeguards and institutional mechanisms to protect regional interests and cultural autonomy.

The proposed amendment, if implemented, would represent a significant constitutional development for the Union Territory and could serve as a precedent for addressing governance structures in other newly created Union Territories across India.