Union Minister Nityanand Rai.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Srinagar: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has called a fresh meeting of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh in New Delhi on October 6, in what is being seen as a key step toward addressing the region’s long-pending political demands.
According to an official communication, “The next meeting of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh will be held on 06.10.2025 at 11.00 AM in Conference Hall – 35000-B, 5th Floor, Kartavya Bhavan-3, MHA, New Delhi.”
Sources confirmed that invitations have been extended to representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the Union Territory’s Lieutenant Governor, Ladakh’s lone Member of Parliament, and the chiefs of the two Hill Councils. The meeting will be chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai.
This will mark the fourth sitting of the HPC since its creation, tasked specifically with engaging LAB and KDA leadership on their charter of demands.
The two groups, which represent Ladakh’s political aspirations, have been jointly advocating for constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, full-fledged statehood, and enhanced political representation.
The renewed talks come at a time of mounting criticism from political and civil society groups, who accuse New Delhi of dragging its feet on assurances given after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and the bifurcation of Ladakh as a separate Union Territory.
While previous engagements ended without a breakthrough, sources said the October 6 round is expected to deliberate on possible constitutional and administrative guarantees for Ladakh.
Confirming the development, KDA leader Sajad Kargili said, “We have received an invitation today for the HPC meeting to be chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in New Delhi on October 6.
"We welcome the resumption of the stalled dialogue, and during the meeting we will strongly reiterate our demands, including statehood and the 6th schedule for Ladakh.” He added that they were hopeful of a constructive outcome.
The joint four-point agenda of LAB and KDA includes statehood, Sixth Schedule safeguards, two Lok Sabha constituencies—one for Leh and another for Kargil—as well as employment opportunities for Ladakh’s youth. The demand for setting up a separate Public Service Commission (PSC) for the Union Territory has also been placed before the Centre.