Include Ladakh under sixth schedule to protect land and identity, NGO collective urges Centre
Vikalp Sangam, a collective of NGOs, on Friday urged the Centre to consider the demand of the people of Ladakh to include the Union Territory under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which makes special provisions for administration of tribal areas.
The government had on August 5 rescinded the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The Union Territories came into existence on October 31. Ladakh will not have an elected legislature.
Tribal-dominated areas of Assam and Tripura, besides Meghalaya and Mizoram are under the Sixth Schedule areas. Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram have three tribal councils each.
On Tuesday, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy had told the Lok Sabha that two hill development councils which govern Kargil and Leh districts were already empowered to address the matters concerning the locals, adding that “the powers given to these councils are in line with the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India”.
“UT status without legislature, or adequate constitutional safeguards to protect the unique cultural identity and fragile ecosystem of Ladakh, may jeopardize the prospects of ecologically sustainable economic processes for genuine well-being of the people of...
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