3 min readSrinagarUpdated: Apr 26, 2026 08:46 PM IST
Talks between the Centre and Ladakh are set to resume next month. Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena announced Sunday that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has taken a decision to convene a meeting of the sub-committee for political dialogue on May 22.
He also said Union Home Minister Amit Shah would visit Leh on April 30 for a two-day trip.
Detailing the schedule for Shah’s visit, the L-G said that on May 1, he the Home Minister would pay his respects to the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima and share his thoughts on the “spiritual significance of the sacred exposition being held in Ladakh from 1-14 May”.
Saxena said the visit underscores the commitment of the Centre towards the development of Ladakh.
The sub-committee is part of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) headed by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai to address concerns of the Ladakhi people. Since it was carved out as a Union Territory without a legislature from the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, the people of Ladakh have been demanding greater political representation, and repeated agitations have taken place in the region led by two socio-political representative bodies — the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance.
Announcing the date for the resumption of talks, Saxena said, “This will carry forward the process of constructive democratic dialogue with key stakeholders of Ladakh and pave the way for an enduring solution to meet the aspirations of the people of Ladakh.”
A meeting of the HPC was scheduled on October 6, last year. But after four locals were killed in police firing after a protest in September, the constituent groups refused to engage with the Centre till a set of demands, including a judicial inquiry, were met.
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These demands were subsequently met, and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was arrested under the National Security Act in September, was also released in March this year.
Since its constitution, the HPC has been vital in securing protections for the Ladakhi people. These include a 15-year prospective domicile clause, which implies that to qualify as a domicile of Ladakh, a citizen must show continuous residence from 2019 with a 15-year prospective. This is unlike the domicile clause for J&K, which was implemented retrospectively. In December last year, the HPC also gave Ladakhis a 95% quota in government jobs.
The committee was constituted in 2023 to discuss measures to protect the region’s “unique culture and language”, taking into consideration its geographical location and strategic importance.
However, talks have remained stalled over Ladakh’s demand for inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
