Centre Revises Ladakh Talks Minutes, Grants Elected Body Control Over Bureaucracy
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has revised the official minutes of its May 22 meeting with Ladakh leaders, incorporating a key provision that gives the proposed elected executive body control over civil servants handling subjects under its jurisdiction. The change addresses a major demand from the Apex Body, Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), who had earlier refused to sign the draft minutes, alleging omissions.
The revised minutes, finalised at a follow-up meeting in Leh on Friday, include a clause stating that the elected executive body will exercise “control and supervision, including Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR)” over bureaucrats dealing with subjects transferred to the Union Territory-level elected body. This marks a departure from the earlier draft, which had triggered a political standoff and a complete shutdown across Ladakh on June 23.
According to the final document, representatives reiterated their long-standing demands for statehood, Sixth Schedule status, a separate Ladakh Administrative and Police Service, and withdrawal of cases related to the September 24, 2025 protests. The minutes note that while statehood remains a “long-term aspiration”, both sides agreed to first create a customised model of self-governance through an elected body with executive, financial, and legislative powers.
The issue of bureaucratic accountability was discussed in detail. The minutes record: “It was agreed that in terms of functions and civil servants for the subjects under the purview of the UT-level elected body, the control and supervision, including APAR, will be exercised by the elected executive body. Further details will be finalised in future meetings as per the Transaction of Business Rules.”
Additionally, the document states that a customised constitutional safeguards model under Article 371 will be developed for Ladakh, drawing from various provisions to create a “sui generis” model. A draft proposal on the powers and functions of the elected body is to be fine-tuned in future meetings.
The meeting in Leh was attended by Additional Secretary (MHA) Prashant S Lokhande, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra, Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa, former MP Thupstan Chhewang, ABL co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakrook, KDA co-chairman Asgar Ali Karbalai, Kargil Hill Council Chairman Mohd Jaffar Akhoon, and other representatives. The endorsement of the revised minutes is expected to revive the dialogue process between the Centre and Ladakh’s civil society groups after weeks of uncertainty.
