In 2019, three Ministries gave nod to Ladakh’s tribal status, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• In September 2019, three Union Ministries approved the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) to recommend Ladakh's inclusion as a tribal area under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
• The NCST had taken suo motu cognisance of the demand six years prior and recommended Ladakh's inclusion after consulting with the Ministries of Home, Tribal Affairs, and Law and Justice.
• The Commission felt that inclusion in the Sixth Schedule would protect the agrarian rights and land rights of locals, restricting land acquisition from outside the region.
• In 2020, the Bharatiya Janata Party promised constitutional safeguards for Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule in its manifesto for the Hill Council of Leh elections.

Detailed Insights:

• The NCST consulted with the Ministries of Home, Tribal Affairs, and Law and Justice, and they had no objection to granting Tribal area status to Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule.
• Before Ladakh became a Union Territory, locals possessed agrarian and land rights that prevented outsiders from purchasing land.
• The Home Ministry stated in December 2019 that the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act, 1997, already provided powers in line with the Sixth Schedule.
• In December 2022, the Home Ministry stated that the UT Administration was already ensuring the socio-economic development of the tribal population, negating the need for Sixth Schedule status.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Sixth Schedule: Provisions in the Indian Constitution that allow for the formation of Autonomous District Councils to protect tribal rights.
• Suo motu: Latin term meaning "on its own motion," referring to an action taken by an authority without a formal request from another party.
• Agrarian Rights: Rights related to land and agricultural practices, including ownership, cultivation, and use of resources.