No statehood, Ladakh to get unique elected body, says Chief Secretary
Ladakh will not be granted statehood or a Union Territory with a legislature, according to Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra. Instead, the government is proposing a unique, sui generis model that grants legislative, executive, and financial powers to a new elected body under Article 371.
Why it matters
This represents a significant constitutional development for the governance of Ladakh, aiming to satisfy local aspirations for autonomy without altering the region's status as a Union Territory.
Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra said on Thursday (September 10, 2026) that neither statehood nor a Union Territory (UT) with a legislature is being offered to Ladakh; instead, it will be a sui generis model, a unique body under the Constitution that will have legislative, executive, and financial powers.
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