Centre’s plan for Ladakh gives L-G final authority over laws, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Centre's draft plan for Ladakh proposes the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) as the final authority on laws made by the Union Territory-level elected body.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) document, titled "Constitutional and Statutory Framework," outlines this legislative practice.
• Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are consulting with the Centre on constitutional safeguards for Ladakh.
• This initiative stems from a high-level committee formed in 2023 to address governance post-revocation of Article 370 in 2019.
• The draft explores options for delimitation, electoral rolls, and women's representation in the proposed elected body.

Detailed Insights:

• The L-G's assent for UT-level regulations is presented as a standard legislative practice enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
• The discussions aim to establish a unique constitutional arrangement for Ladakh, potentially through a new Article in the Constitution.
• Questions include whether delimitation should be population-based, area-based, or a combination, and the type of electoral rolls to be used.
• Options for women's representation range from reserving one-third to 50% of seats, including both elected and nominated positions.
• The Centre seeks views on granting constitutional status to Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs).
• The draft also considers the method of electing members to the UT-level body and the inclusion of expert nominated members.
• The process involves settling constitutional and institutional choices before finalizing legislative instruments, including a constitutional amendment and regulations under Article 240.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Lieutenant Governor (L-G): The administrative head of a Union Territory, appointed by the President of India.
• Union Territory (UT): An administrative division in India directly governed by the Central Government.
• Article 240: A provision in the Indian Constitution empowering the President to make regulations for certain Union Territories.
• Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs): Local self-governing bodies established in Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh.