(TibetanReview.net, Dec04’24) –In what has been described as a big breakthrough, New Delhi has given in-principle assent to reserving 95% of the gazetted officers’ posts for locals in the Union Territory of Ladakh. While Ladakh’s top demands include statehood and the Union Territory’s inclusion in the 6th schedule of India’s constitution, the decision has been welcomed by the local populace.
“It’s big news for the people of Ladakh. People have been praying for some good news from this meeting and now their prayers have been answered. The MHA (Ministry of Home Affair) has agreed to reserve 95% gazetted officers’ jobs for locals,” the ndtv.com Dec 3 quoted Ladakh Member of Parliament Mr Hanifa Jan as saying.
The decision followed a meeting the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), an amalgam of social, political, trade, students and religious groups from Ladakh, had with Union Minister of State Nityanand Rai, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and MHA officials after it was stalled for months, the report said.
Jan has said the finer details about the implementation of the 95% reservation will be discussed in the next meeting on Jan 15.
“There are over 400 posts vacant, and we have been assured they would go to the people of Ladakh and tribals here,” former BJP MP Thupstan Chhewang has said.
He has said that as soon as the meeting began, a list of doables was discussed.
However, the delegation’s main demand has been statehood for Ladakh to ensure people’s participation in governance, administrative efficiency, better governance, and economic development.
And its second demand was for Ladakh’s inclusion under the 6th Schedule for greater autonomy, cultural identities, environmental preservation, and protection of tribal rights, the report said.
The delegation also sought separate Lok Sabha (the lower house) seats for the Buddhist-majority Leh and Muslim-majority Kargil in the Indian parliament. That has been stalled as the Centre has made it clear that this could be discussed only after the 2026 Census, the report said.
The Centre was stated to have also proposed to work on a draft to ensure “constitutional safeguards” to preserve the land and culture of Ladakh, and to have agreed to declare Urdu and Bhoti the official languages of Ladakh.
Bhoti refers to versions of Tibetan language spoken in various local dialects across the Himalayan belt of India.
The MHA was also stated to have proposed to review 22 pending laws to address local concerns, empowerment, and wildlife areas.