DH NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, JUNE 4
Leh: The Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Tuesday said the Centre’s decision to introduce new domicile and reservation rules in Ladakh was only for jobs and vowed to continue their struggle for safeguarding Ladakh’s unique identity
Speaking at a press conference Ladakh Body says Centre’s new domicile rules only for jobs, vows to continue strugglein Leh, senior LAB leader Mustafa Haji they would continue to strive for safeguarding the unique identity, land and culture of Ladakh.
Haji said the new domicile certificate is only for recruitment and does not cover other things. He said Ladakh’s concerns have been raised many times since it became a Union Territory in August 2019, when it was separated from Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
Since then, people across Ladakh have demanded constitutional safeguards to protect their land, jobs, and cultural identity.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) — which represent civil society, religious, and political groups from Leh and Kargil districts — have been jointly leading this demand.
They have called for the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides special rights to tribal areas, or similar legal protection to safeguard the region’s interests.
Haji also pointed out that in Jammu and Kashmir, over 83,000 people were granted domicile rights based on cut-off dates before 2005. He warned that a similar approach in Ladakh must be applied carefully to avoid weakening local rights.
While welcoming the new 33 per cent reservation rule for women in LAHDC, he said Ladakh still needs strong constitutional safeguards to protect its land, culture, and employment opportunities.
“We have done our part,” Haji said. “Now it is up to the government — whether it takes one year or two. We are ready for talks, but we need clear and firm assurances.”
The demand for constitutional safeguards remains central to the joint struggle of the LAB and KDA, as they continue to push for the protection of Ladakh’s unique tribal character and its fragile ecological and cultural landscape.
