Centre remains committed to Article 371 safeguards for Ladakh

NEW DELHI: Despite reservations expressed by Ladakh representatives over omissions in the minutes of the May 22 talks with MHA officials, sources said Centre remains committed to providing Constitutional safeguards to the region under Article 371 and ensuring bureaucracy is accountable to the political executive. The exact scope and legislative framework will be worked out in future discussions.At the meeting of the sub-committee on Ladakh on May 22, MHA and Ladakh representatives agreed “in principle” on creating a customised UT-level elected body with full legislative, executive and financial powers, along with constitutional safeguards under Art 371. However, when two key points – safeguards under Art 371 and the bureaucracy, including the chief secretary, being accountable to elected political/administrative head – were not explicitly reflected in the minutes of meeting (MoM), Ladakh bodies expressed reservations and were reluctant to commit to further talks.Sources in the central govt told TOI that while the govt stands by its in-principle agreement with Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), incorporating these points in the minutes was not feasible as the exact scope and nature of safeguards under Article 371 are yet to be discussed. “Any commitment at this juncture would be premature,” an official said.Similarly, detailed discussions are needed on how the bureaucracy would be accountable to the elected head. This can be addressed through Transaction of Business Rules (TBR), to be framed in consultation with Ladakh representatives and legal experts. “Before committing to a blanket arrangement, the exact structure and scope of accountability needs to be spelt out in TBR,” the officer said.Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra told TOI that Article 371 provisions applicable to northeastern states may not fit Ladakh due to its different historical and political context. “What is being offered to Ladakh is a customised solution… The MoM is a distilled version but fairly accurate and captures the essence and spirit of the discussions,” he said.