Shah will be on a two day visit to Ladakh from April 30 where he will chair a security meeting, review developmental projects, and interact with some prominent citizens. He would also pay respect to the sacred relics of Lord Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima on May 1.
Also Read: Inconclusive Ladakh–MHA talks see demands on statehood, Sonam Wangchuk detention
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena informed about Shah’s visit to Ladakh stating that the visit underscores the commitment of the Government of India for the development of Ladakh. Saxena further informed through his official account on X, that the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to convene a meeting of the Sub-Committee for dialogue with representatives of Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance on May 22. “…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,” Saxena informed on X.
The KDA and ABL are majorly striving for statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the sixth schedule of the constitution. They have engaged in dialogue with the MHA since 2021 but haven’t achieved any major success except the GoI announcing 85 percent job reservation for locals, 15-year period for domicile requirements, 33 percent women’s reservation in hill councils and formation of new districts.
The dialogue process hit a major roadblock after the killings of five persons in Leh during protests on September 24, 2026. The dialogue resumed after GoI announced a commission to probe into the incidents of violence. The last meeting of the High Powered Committee headed by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, was held on February 4, this year in New Delhi, but no breakthrough was achieved.
Also Read: Labelling people of Ladakh anti-national a self-goal: Sonam WangchukThe ABL held a meeting in Leh on Sunday, soon after the information on Shah’s visit to Ladakh was made public. The ABL co-chairman Cherring Dorjay Lakruk in presence of prominent climate activist Sonam Wangchuk–who was recently released from jail, following the revocation of the National Security Act slapped against him in September last year–convened a meeting regarding the high profile visit. “This is a golden opportunity for trust building and meaningful constructive dialogue. We urge the Union Minister to announce an unconditional withdrawal of cases against 83 people who were arrested after the September 24 incidents, most of whom were innocent and included members of religious organisations who had gone to stop the violence. A compensation for families of persons who died and 80 others who got crippled in indiscriminate police shootings which were carried out without proper firing orders,” the representatives said after the meeting.
They also urged Shah to chair a meeting of the ‘High Powered Committee’ with the members of the ABL and KDA in Leh for “meaningful dialogue.”
“Shah had once said in New Delhi that he may chair the HPC sometime. We have just reminded him…we haven’t received any invitation regarding the May 22, subcommittee meeting yet from the MHA. We have just seen the post of the LG Ladakh,” said Lakruk. The Sub-Committee meeting is chaired by the MHA officials and not by the minister.
“It is well understood that discussions at the sub-committee level do not involve decision-making authorities. Therefore, there is a concern that even if this meeting takes place on May 22, four months after the last one in February, and still no decision is reached, another four months may pass, and the entire year could go by without any resolution,” said Wangchuk after the ABL meeting. “…this issue of Ladakh has been dragging on for the past five to six years and needs to be resolved,” Wangchuk added. Lakruk also added that their “clear position” is that a sub-committee meeting is completely “meaningless if no decisions can be taken.”
“If there is nothing new left to discuss, then what is the point? Our demands are already very clear-the four-point agenda. At the very least, the government should clarify what it is willing to offer,” said Lakruk.
The climate activist also stated that the representatives of both ABL and KDA urge the Union Home Minister to chair a meeting in Leh, as it would be meaningful. “Some of our members who attended earlier meetings in Delhi have also shared that during their interactions with him, the Home Minister had assured Ladakh’s leadership that he would personally chair such meetings and even consider holding them in Ladakh,” said Wangchuk.
The officials informed that in the later part of 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs was contemplating over the options of “Union Territory with legislature and Article 371 (A) and Article 371 (F)” for Ladakh, in the wake of the demands put forth by the representatives of Ladakh. However, none of the officials from MHA or representatives from Ladakh have come on record about this possibility. Article 371 (A) of the constitution currently grants special status to Nagaland while Article 371 (F) grants special status to Sikkim.
