Ladakh seeks Sixth Schedule status as government proposes new governance model
The Ministry of Home Affairs has proposed a directly elected legislative body for the Union Territory instead of granting Sixth Schedule status.
Ladakh has demanded Sixth Schedule status due to its unique ethnic composition and cultural specificity, according to The Hindu.
The Central Government is reportedly unwilling to provide this status and has instead proposed a sui generics model of governance. This proposal includes providing for a directly elected legislative body for the Union Territory.
The demand for Sixth Schedule status alongside the Ministry of Home Affairs' proposal for an elected legislative body has created a paradoxical situation. This raises questions regarding whether a Union Territory can be granted such status.
The Fifth and Sixth Schedules exist to provide for Scheduled Areas and Autonomous Districts to ensure the inclusion of tribal communities. This design aims to include every cultural and ethnic group in democratic governance.
The Supreme Court described Indian federalism as “Amphibian” in the State of Rajasthan v. Union of India (1977) case. This signifies that while India distributes resources through a federal structure, it retains a unitary character to ensure national unity and integrity.