Talks between Ladakh's civil society leaders and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) concluded without a breakthrough on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, with key demands for statehood and the release of activist Sonam Wangchuk remaining unmet. The meeting of the High Powered Committee (HPC), formed in 2023 to discuss measures to protect Ladakh's unique culture and language, saw representatives from the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) pressing for constitutional safeguards and greater political autonomy for the Union Territory.
The discussions centered around a draft proposal submitted in October 2025, which included demands for statehood and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, granting it tribal status. Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, co-convener of the LAB, stated that the issue of Sonam Wangchuk's detention and others is a major concern for the people of Ladakh and asserted their forceful demand for their release and withdrawal of cases registered against them.
Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent voice in Ladakh, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) following violent clashes between security forces and protesters on September 24, 2025, that resulted in four civilian deaths and numerous injuries. He is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail. The NSA empowers the government to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner prejudicial to the defence of India. Prior to his detention, Wangchuk was leading a hunger strike demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule.
Asgar Karbalai, Co-Chairman of KDA, expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the meeting but maintained hope. He emphasized the need to see how serious the MHA is towards their demands and concerns. Lakruk added that they are hopeful that the MHA would call for another meeting in the next 15-20 days.
The MHA had announced new reservation and domicile policies for Ladakh on June 3, 2025, reserving 85 percent of jobs for locals and one-third of the total number of seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils for women. According to the new rules, those who have resided for 15 years in the UT or studied for seven years and appeared in Class 10 or 12 examination in an educational institution located in the UT shall be domicile of Ladakh for the purposes of appointment to any post under the UT or under a local or other authority.
The talks, held after a gap of more than three months, also addressed the issue of job aspirants. Ahead of the meeting, leaders from the LAB and the KDA held an informal discussion in New Delhi on Tuesday to coordinate their approach and finalize issues to be raised with the committee.
The previous meeting between Ladakh leaders and the MHA took place on October 22, 2025, which also ended inconclusively. The Ladakh delegation had reiterated their demands for statehood, implementation of the Sixth Schedule, and the unconditional release of Sonam Wangchuk and other detainees. They also conveyed concerns over alleged fabricated charges against protesters and appealed for a comprehensive review of their cases.