Act North

Get Your PDF Download Pdf

(Source: The Hindu, Editorial Page)

Also Read: The Indian Express Editorial Analysis: 04 June 2025
Also Read: The Hindu Editorial Analysis: 04 June 2025

Topic: GS Paper 2 (Governance – Federalism, Representation, Role of Civil Services), GS Paper 1 (Indian Society – Regionalism, Tribal Concerns)
Context
  • The editorial addresses growing protests in Ladakh, where locals, especially from Leh, demand constitutional safeguards, political representation, and preservation of cultural identity, following the 2019 decision to convert Ladakh into a Union Territory without a legislature.

Background: Reorganisation of J&K in 2019

August 5, 2019: Article 370 revoked, and the state of Jammu & Kashmir was bifurcated into:

  • Jammu & Kashmir (Union Territory with legislature)

  • Ladakh (Union Territory without legislature)

Since then, Ladakh has faced:

  • Political marginalisation

  • Absence of elected representation

  • Threats to tribal identity and culture

People’s Demands and Civil Society Movements:

  • A united civil society front in Leh has mobilised:

    • Demand for inclusion in Sixth Schedule of the Constitution (to protect tribal land, culture).

    • A separate Public Service Commission for local recruitment.

    • Job and land safeguards for locals.

    • Full democratic participation through legislature or similar institutional mechanisms.

  • Recent protests have witnessed thousands rallying for these rights.

Demand and Constitutional Provisions:

This section is best visualised in a table format:

Demand Related Provision Challenge/Implication
Inclusion in Sixth Schedule Article 244 & Sixth Schedule (for tribal areas) Sixth Schedule currently applies only to certain NE states; Ladakh is a UT without legislature
Separate PSC Article 315-323 (State PSC provisions) No provision for separate PSC for UT without legislature
Land & Job Protection Similar to J&K’s domicile laws pre-2019 Would require special legal protections or new laws
Legislative Representation UTs like Delhi & Puducherry have legislatures Needs constitutional amendment or special legislation

Centre’s Response: Inaction & Consultation:

  • The Government of India has held intermittent talks but shown no decisive action.

  • Protestors argue that assurances haven’t materialised into policy or law.

  • The Supreme Court has acknowledged the need to address Ladakh’s exclusion in ongoing Article 370 cases.

Socio-Cultural and Environmental Sensitivities:

  • Ladakh’s fragile Himalayan ecology makes local autonomy essential.

  • Rapid tourism and military infrastructure growth threaten:

    • Water security

    • Livelihoods

    • Cultural continuity (Buddhist and tribal traditions)

Political Significance:

This is not just a local governance issue but a test of:

  • Centre-State federal balance

  • Democratic decentralisation

  • Government’s commitment to tribal rights and minority participation

Way Forward:

  • Serious consideration for constitutional innovation—perhaps a special provision for tribal UTs.

  • Institutionalising a consultative mechanism with local tribal leaders.

  • Long-term roadmap for democratic participation, especially through:

    • Local elections

    • District Councils

    • Tribal advisory bodies

Practice Question: The political demands emerging from Ladakh post-2019 highlight challenges in India’s federal structure and tribal governance. Critically examine the constitutional and democratic implications of extending Sixth Schedule provisions to Ladakh.
(GS Paper 2 | 250 words | 15 marks)

Similar Posts