MHA finalising special Article 371 framework for Ladakh, says Union minister Kiren Rijiju; PM Modi to visit and share views on proposed provisions. SRINAGAR: Ladakh is poised for a bespoke constitutional shield, with MHA putting the final touches to a special Article 371 framework for the Union territory, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said.PM Narendra Modi will visit Ladakh to share his views on the proposed framework with people, Rijiju said Friday at a function at Druk Padma Karpo School in Leh district.“Autonomous hill development councils and other existing arrangements are not as empowered. So, recent announcement made by home minister Amit Shah to provide a special provision for Ladakh under Article 371 is going to take shape with the blessings of PM Narendra Modi,” Rijiju said.Unlike Article 370, which gave J&K a high degree of autonomy before its abrogation in 2019, Article 371 provides special, temporary and transitional provisions for balanced regional development and protection of tribal cultures, customary laws and local employment.The proposed Ladakh model is being framed as a “sui generis” governance arrangement. It is expected to offer administrative flexibility and safeguards for tribal land, environment, traditional practices and jobs without granting statehood or directly bringing the region under Sixth Schedule.Rijiju said the provisions would include seven councils, matching Ladakh’s expanded district map. “Earlier, Ladakh had only two districts. Leh and Kargil. Now there are seven districts and along with them there will be seven councils,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesLadakhi representatives from Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, the region’s two major political groupings, have been in talks with MHA since 2023 for constitutional safeguards covering land, jobs, culture and environment. Next round of talks is scheduled for Sept in New Delhi.Rijiju said Modi had long believed Ladakh needed special attention and had worked towards its development since taking office in 2014. He said the region’s transformation had been striking, pointing to roads, electricity, water, mobile connectivity and telecommunications that were largely absent a couple of decades ago.“When we were in university, and later when I became an MP in 2004, I came to Ladakh,” he said. “There were no roads, electricity, water or other basic facilities. Today, the situation has changed. With mobile phones available everywhere, vast road network, telecommunication facility, we no longer have to wonder how long it takes to travel from one part of Ladakh to another.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBJP Reprimands Three Delhi MPs Over Visit To Sajjan Kumar’s Home After His DeathKolkata Police Files Case Against Mamata Banerjee Over Rally, TMC Hits Back At BJP Govt | WatchRahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS Over Kharge ‘Shuddhikaran’, Demands Action Under SC/ST ActPakistani Drones Spotted Along LoC: Indian Army Intensifies Surveillance In J&K | WatchPM Modi’s 4-Day Central Asia Visit: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & SCO Summit | India’s Diplomatic PushB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch123Photostories10 baby names that bring the beauty of the seasons to lifeBlueberries vs Grapes: What happens to blood sugar when you eat the whole fruit instead of drinking it?Why do some eggs have double yolks? The science behind it explainedUse an old toothbrush to clean your taps: 7 places this tiny tool can reachStrong bones aren’t just about milk: 7 foods that help support bone density as you age5 things happy couples do before going to bed every nightFrom Kapil Sharma to Krushna Abhishek: Richest Indian comedians and their net worth8 of the smallest birds you can find in IndiaNepal flash flood: 5 key differences between glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) and regular floodBlood sugar suddenly rising while using an inhaler? Doctor explains when respiratory medicines could be responsible123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingSophie Cunningham CareerChandigarh MurderSamay RainaUdaipur HotelFlorida Car CrashUS Green Card HolderBengal HospitalTamil Nadu Son MurderElon MuskKanpur Aircraft Crash
SRINAGAR: Ladakh is poised for a bespoke constitutional shield, with MHA putting the final touches to a special Article 371 framework for the Union territory, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said.PM Narendra Modi will visit Ladakh to share his views on the proposed framework with people, Rijiju said Friday at a function at Druk Padma Karpo School in Leh district.“Autonomous hill development councils and other existing arrangements are not as empowered. So, recent announcement made by home minister Amit Shah to provide a special provision for Ladakh under Article 371 is going to take shape with the blessings of PM Narendra Modi,” Rijiju said.Unlike Article 370, which gave J&K a high degree of autonomy before its abrogation in 2019, Article 371 provides special, temporary and transitional provisions for balanced regional development and protection of tribal cultures, customary laws and local employment.The proposed Ladakh model is being framed as a “sui generis” governance arrangement. It is expected to offer administrative flexibility and safeguards for tribal land, environment, traditional practices and jobs without granting statehood or directly bringing the region under Sixth Schedule.Rijiju said the provisions would include seven councils, matching Ladakh’s expanded district map. “Earlier, Ladakh had only two districts. Leh and Kargil. Now there are seven districts and along with them there will be seven councils,” he said.
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Ladakhi representatives from Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, the region’s two major political groupings, have been in talks with MHA since 2023 for constitutional safeguards covering land, jobs, culture and environment. Next round of talks is scheduled for Sept in New Delhi.Rijiju said Modi had long believed Ladakh needed special attention and had worked towards its development since taking office in 2014. He said the region’s transformation had been striking, pointing to roads, electricity, water, mobile connectivity and telecommunications that were largely absent a couple of decades ago.“When we were in university, and later when I became an MP in 2004, I came to Ladakh,” he said. “There were no roads, electricity, water or other basic facilities. Today, the situation has changed. With mobile phones available everywhere, vast road network, telecommunication facility, we no longer have to wonder how long it takes to travel from one part of Ladakh to another.”
