Maiden meeting expected this month to discuss inclusion of Ladakh into 6th Schedule
LEH: The Apex body of Peoples Movement for Sixth Schedule for Ladakh has formed a 17-member team to hold talks with a central committee headed by MoS Home GK Reddy regarding inclusion of Ladakh into the 6th Schedule.
The Apex Body members along with Member of Parliament and CEC Leh on Jan 06 met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi who ordered the formation of a committee to look into the demands.
A senior cum founding members of the Apex Body told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a 17-member committee has been formed by Apex Body Leh with MP Ladakh and CEC Leh part of it.
The committe is set to meet a panel from Home Ministry, having less than five members, will hold deliberations about the inclusion of Ladakh UT into the 6th schedule, he said.
He said “our committee has a senior advocate as well, who will look at all the legal aspects.”
“Both the Apex Body and Central government committees will work under the Chairmanship of MoS Home GK Reddy. We are hopeful of the first meeting in this month only,” he said.
He said that the Home Ministry has directed them to lessen the numner of members in the committee, adding that the number of members will be reduced only after the first meeting is held.
He said that during in the recent meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, “We were told not to remain confined over a demand of 6th schedule for the protection and security of tribal as many such constitutional safeguards can be guaranteed under some other provisions as well.”
The Apex Body member said that the committee is ready to accept the decision of the Home Ministry even if it introduces an exclusive 13th schedule for Ladakh. “We will accept it only if the provisions under the 6th schedule are included and people show their satisfaction with the safeguard under the offered provisions”, he said.
In a news conference on Thursday the founding member and former Member of Parliament (MP), Chering Dorjay flanked by other members said that both Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Apex Body Leh are miles apart having different ideology since they are against the UT status and demand full-fledged Statehood for Ladakh.
“We don’t oppose their demand. We expect them not to oppose the demand for the 6th schedule. We are hopeful that they won’t object if our demands are met,” he has said.