Article 371 framework under consideration
Leh, Jul 13: Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra on Monday said that the Centre has decided to extend the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) system to all seven districts of the Union Territory and Ladakh-specific institutional framework under Article 371 of the Constitution is under consideration.
Talking to reporters here Kundra, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the administration would amend the existing LAHDC Act, wherever required, and carry out constituency delimitation before constituting the new councils.
He said discussions with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs are in progress on a framework under Article 371 that would provide for a Union Territory-level institution with legislative, executive, financial and administrative responsibilities.
“The structure of the proposed institution will be worked out after consultations with representatives from Ladakh and the Government of India,” Kundra told reporters here.
The announcement comes after recent rounds of talks between the Centre and representatives of the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on issues related to governance and constitutional safeguards.
Highlighting administrative measures taken since Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019, the chief secretary said recruitment has been completed or is in the final stages for more than 4,500 government posts.
He said the recruitment process for another 1,684 vacancies is underway, while notifications will soon be issued for 262 primary and upper primary teacher posts, 47 vacancies in the University of Ladakh and 331 constable posts.
Kundra said the administration has created 17 new tehsils and posted tehsildars in them. New divisions under the Public Works Department, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the Public Health Engineering Department have also been established across all seven districts, he added.
Senior officers will regularly visit newly created districts, particularly remote and border areas, to monitor development works and address public grievances, he said.
The Chief Secretary also clarified that Panchayati Raj Institutions would continue to function alongside the proposed Hill Councils, while additional district-level administrative posts would be created in phases.
On the draft Excise policy, Kundra said the administration is examining suggestions and objections received from the public before taking a final decision.
Officials said the proposal to establish Hill Councils in all seven districts, along with the discussions on an Article 371 framework, is part of efforts to evolve a governance structure suited to Ladakh’s geographical and administrative requirements.
If implemented, the measures are expected to expand local self-governance and strengthen public participation in decision-making across the Union Territory, they added. (KNO)
