The Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, the two important socio-political conglomerates of Ladakh sent a memorandum to the Ministry of Home Affairs in January this year. These were submitted as part of the current dialogue between the Centre and Ladakh. The region has come up with some new demands. Some of these demands are for increasing Ladakh's territorial control up to Gilgit-Baltistan in POK.
At present, Ladakh is spread across 59,146 square kilometers. On 5th August, 2019, it was carved out as a Union Territory. Additionally, Article 370 of the Constitution provided a special constitutional position to Jammu and Kashmir, but the Centre put an end to it. At present, unlike Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh does not hold a legislature. However, Ladakh holds two elected hill councils, namely, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council- Kargil (LAHDC) and the other one being LAHDC-Leg.
The demands of the region
In the last two years, both the bodies of Leh and Kargil came up with street agitations. These were launched to protest againts the Union Territory status of the region without a legislation. Both these districts came together to bring about a major campaign to restore the Statehood with a legislature.
Additionally, the districts are also demanding for a special status under Article 371 of the Indian Constitution and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution on the lines of Sikkim, Tripura, and Mizoram, along with other Northeastern States.
The residents of Ladakh are if the view that opening up the area will affect the most ecologically fragile areas.
What else does Ladakh demand? Well, Ladakh also wants exclusive rights over recruitment. Ladakh has presented a proposal to the Centre asking for a Ladakh Public Service Commission for recruiting for gazetted jobs. Ladakh also wants that the twin hill councils should be holding the liberty to recruit lower rung staff for the area. Ladakh demands that the Ladakh resident certificate should stand as the only basis for applying for such jobs in the region.
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