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Hindustan Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
New quota, domicile rules in Ladakh plan
The Union government on Tuesday notified a raft of landmark rules for Ladakh, allowing reservation up to 85%, a 15-year residency requirement for domicile status, setting aside one-third of seats in hill councils for women, and recognising five official languages. The rules – part of efforts to safeguard the region's interests – come after months of protest by local groups and represent the most significant change to the region's administrative architecture since it was made into a Union Territory and hived off from Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. 'The rules were notified days after the ministry and Ladakhi representatives met on May 27 and agreed,' said an official aware of the matter. In 2023, the Union home ministry formed a high-powered committee under minister of state for home, Nityanand Rai, to discuss ways to protect Ladakh's unique culture and language, considering its location and strategic importance. The panel, which included the members of Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance — a collective of trade unions, tourist bodies, and religious and political groups — deliberated on protections for land and employment, and the empowerment of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil, and other constitutional safeguards. The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment (Amendment) Regulation said those who have resided for a period of 15 years in the UT or studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10 or 12 examination in an educational institution located in the UT shall be declared a domicile of Ladakh for the purposes of appointment to any post under the UT, or under a local or other authority other than the cantonment board. Children of central government officials, All India Services officers, officials of public sector undertaking and autonomous body of central government, public sector banks, officials of statutory bodies, officials of central universities, and recognised research institutes of central government who have served in the UT for a total period of 10 years, are also eligible for domicile status. The domicile policy is almost identical to that of the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, announced in May 2020. The Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, also notified on Tuesday, said the total quantum of reservation for jobs shall in no case exceed 85% of the available vacancies, excluding reservation for economically weaker sections. The official cited above said 80% of the vacancies were reserved for the region's majority, Scheduled Tribes (STs), 4% for those living along the Line of Actual Control or Line of Control, 1% for the Scheduled Castes, and 10% for the Economically Weaker Sections. The ministry had proposed 95% of the reservation for locals during discussions. This will make Ladakh have among the highest quanta of reservations in the country. In a third notification, the government said that in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997, not less than one-third of the total number of seats in the Councils shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different territorial constituencies. The rotation of constituencies reserved for women shall be made on the basis of serial number allotted to each constituency by notification in the official gazette. Ladakh has two autonomous hill development councils - the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil. The fourth notification, the Ladakh Official Languages Regulation, recognised English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi as the official languages and said that the administrator 'shall make special efforts for the promotion and development of other native languages of Ladakh: Shina (Dardic), Brokskat (Dardic), Balti and Ladakhi'. The Union Territory of Ladakh was created on August 5, 2019 after the Union government effectively abrogated Article 370, which used to bestow special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and split the erstwhile state into two UTs – Jammu and Kashmir with a legislative assembly and Ladakh without one. Since then, a string of protests have rocked Ladakh and had echoes in the Capital. In February 2024, thousands protested in Delhi, Leh and other parts of Ladakh demanding statehood and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 15-day fast in Delhi in October last year after a home ministry official met the protesters and promised to resume the talks related to Ladakh's development. Last year, the UT was roiled by protracted agitations across 66 days, over sixth schedule protections, statehood, an additional Lok Sabha constituency, unemployment and a separate public service commission The agitation intensified on March 6 last year, with Leh observing a complete shutdown followed by a 66-day hunger strike that was suspended three days ago in view of the Lok Sabha elections. The agitations saw BJP dropping its incumbent MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal and fielding Tashi Gyalson to soothe the frayed nerves of the people. Sajjad Kargili, a leader from Kargil who participated in the high-powered panel meetings, called the notifications a positive step. 'All the assurances given by the government of India have been largely fulfilled. I believe this will now help local youth get employment in Ladakh, who have been in depression for the past six years, as no recruitment was done.' Kargili said they will continue discussions on other demands, including a separate public service commission, statehood, and the region's inclusion in the Sixth Schedule, which provides for the administration of tribal areas, establishment of autonomous councils with legislative, executive, judicial, and financial powers with a degree of self-governance. The rules define five categories under which a domicile certificate can be issued. Category 1 includes a Ladakh Resident Certificate (LRC) Holder or those eligible for LRC, or children of anyone in this category. They will have to present LRC or a document to prove their eligibility. Category 2 includes children of residents of the UT of Ladakh who resided outside the UT in connection with employment of business, or other professional or vocational reasons. Category 3 includes any person who has resided in Ladakh for 15 years or children of any such person in this category. They can present any document as proof of residence, such as a ration card, immovable property records, educational records, voter list, electricity utility bills, or an employer certificate. A person who has studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10th or 12th examination in an educational institution located in Ladakh can apply for domicile under Category 4. They are required to present a certificate of education issued by the head of the institute and verified by the chief education officer of the school department of the concerned district, from the date of formation of the Union territory of Ladakh, that is, October 31, 2019 and a class 10th or 12th appearance certificate. Category 5 includes the children of central government officers, officials of public sector undertakings, autonomous bodies of the central government, public sector banks, officials of central universities, among others.
Hindustan Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
New rules on reservation, domicile, languages notified for Ladakh
The Union government on Tuesday notified new rules for Ladakh, allowing reservation in government jobs for locals, a 15-year residency requirement for domicile status, one-third of seats in hill councils for women, and five official languages as part of efforts to safeguard the region's interests. In 2023, the Union home ministry formed a high-powered committee under junior minister Nityanand Rai to discuss ways to protect Ladakh's unique culture, considering its location and strategic importance. The panel, which included the members of Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance, deliberated protection of land and employment, and the empowerment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil, and other constitutional safeguards. The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment (Amendment) Regulation was notified days after the ministry and Ladakhi representatives met on May 27 and agreed to the rules, an official aware of the matter said. It defines a domicile for jobs as a person who has resided in the Union territory for 15 years, studied for seven years and appeared for class 10th or 12th examinations in Ladakh. This means any outsider settled in Ladakh after Jammu and Kashmir's was bifurcated into two Union territories in 2019 will be eligible for domicile status in 2034. A similar policy announced for Jammu and Kashmir in May 2020 said that individuals can claim domicile status if they lived there for at least 15 years, studied for seven years and appeared in class 10 or 12 exams there. The Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, also notified on Tuesday, says the reservation shall in no case exceed 85% of the available vacancies, excluding reservation for economically weaker sections. The official cited above said 80% of vacancies are reserved for the region's majority, Scheduled Tribes (STs), 4% for those living along the Line of Actual Control or Line of Control, 1% for the Scheduled Castes and 10% for the Economically Weaker Sections. The ministry had proposed 95% of the reservation for locals during discussions. A third notification issued on Tuesday provides for one-third seats for women in the hill councils by rotation to different territorial constituencies. The Ladakh Official Languages Regulation recognises English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi as the official languages and says that the administrator 'shall make special efforts for the promotion and development of other native languages of Ladakh: Shina (Dardic), Brokskat (Dardic), Balti and Ladakhi'. Sajjad Kargili, a leader from Kargil who participated in the high-powered panel meetings, called the notifications a positive step. 'All the assurances given by the government of India have been largely fulfilled. I believe this will now help local youth get employment in Ladakh, who have been in depression for the past six years, as no recruitment was done.' Kargili said they will continue discussions on other demands, including a separate Public Service Commission, statehood, and the region's inclusion in the Constitution's Sixth Schedule, which provides for the administration of tribal areas, establishment of autonomous councils with legislative, executive, judicial, and financial powers with a degree of self-governance. In February 2024, thousands protested in Delhi, Leh and other parts of Ladakh demanding statehood and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule. Activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 15-day fast in Delhi in October last year after a home ministry official met the protesters and promised to resume the talks related to Ladakh's development.
Indian Express
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Decode Politics: Ladakh closer to domicile policy, as concerns over jobs grow
Following a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday, the High-Powered Committee (HPC) that comprises members of the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance reached a consensus to define a timeline for domicile certificates for the Union Territory of Ladakh. The Centre is likely to issue a notification on the same next week. Why has Ladakh not had a domicile policy so far, and what is its importance? A look: A 15-member council, the HPC was constituted in 2023 in the aftermath of the mass protests in Ladakh claiming a threat to the fragile ecology of the region from industrial development projects approved by New Delhi. The people were angry that this was done 'without consent' from their side, since Ladakh is under Central control being a Union Territory. Post the abrogation of August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir had been split into two UTs, namely J&K, and Ladakh. The HPC was set up to address the concerns of the people, with representatives included from the key bodies of the two regions of Ladakh – the Apex Body Leh, for Leh, and Kargil Democratic Alliance for Kargil. In May 2020, the Union Ministry of Home notified domicile rules for J&K via an amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment) Act, 2010. The rules specified that any person 'who has resided for a period of 15 years in the UT of J&K or has studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10th/12th examination in an educational institution located in the UT of J&K' would be eligible for domicile certification. In case of former 'permanent residents' or 'state subjects' of J&K, as they were previously termed, the document would form the basis for the new certificate. However, there is no domicile policy for Ladakh. At the HPC meeting, a consensus was reached that anyone living in Ladakh for 15 years from 2019 onwards could be considered a domicile of the region. The two Ladakh bodies hence climbed down from their earlier demand that domicile certification require a period of stay of 30 years. If this domicile policy is implemented for Ladakh, therefore, the first domicile certificates would take effect in 2034. A representative of Apex Body Leh, Cheering Dorji, said even the backtracking from 30-year stay requirement to 15 years was a 'win for the people of Ladakh', given the 2019 cut-off date from when this is to apply. 'The talks between the Centre and Ladakh had been stalled for some time over the issue. The outcome of Tuesday's meeting will help secure jobs for local students since the baseline for domicile is 2019 and this gives us some time to consolidate benefits,' he said. Incidentally, in the case of J&K, there is no cut-off year from when the stay in the UT is to be calculated. Unemployment has been a big concern for Ladakh since it was carved out of J&K. This disconnected it from the employment policy of J&K, which retained its Public Service Commission. As a UT without a legislature, Ladakh is even more under bureaucratic control than J&K. 'Over the last six years, no gazetted posts have been notified in Ladakh and nearly all recruitment is being done on contract basis. This is a big loss for the students of Ladakh, who have gained qualifications for these jobs despite the struggle to get higher education here due to our harsh climate and topography,' Sajjad Kargili, a member of the HPC, told The Indian Express. Against this backdrop, a big rise in the number of domicile certificate holders would end up making the competition for government jobs even tougher. Incidentally, approximately 90% of the population in Ladakh falls under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, which means they are big beneficiaries of the reservation policy. Responding to a question in the last session of the J&K Assembly in April, the government said that over 83,000 domicile certificates had been issued to 'non-state subjects' since August 2019. As a result of this, West Pakistan refugees, safai karamcharis and children of women married outside J&K became eligible for domicile certificates. In J&K too, domicile is a touchy issue, with many worried about 'outsiders' taking over their land and jobs.
