Lamenting Ladakh: An Analysis of Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution with respect to Ladakh Protests

Before the elimination of Article 370, present union territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the territory of Ladakh were one state. Ladakh used to live under the silhouette of Kashmir, as it was absent from center’s attention, most of the budget given to the J&K state were used to be spent in Kashmir for security reasonings. Ladakh was lagging behind as it was not included under government policies. It’s important to remember that during 370, outsiders were not permitted to carry on business and buy properties in Ladakh. After the removal of the Article, Ladakh people’s response were mixed as some were full of joy as they were in the hope of getting centers attention and some were not. In 2019, J&K was made a union territory with legislature and Ladakh was made a distinct union territory but without legislature, not being governed by the legislature, Ladakh is run by bureaucrats and they are not satisfied by it. Now after passing few years of removal of Article 370, Ladakh people are protesting to be Encompassed under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to guarantee overall economic development and autonomy. This paper dive into the demands of people of Ladakh and understand it in the leu of constitutions sixth schedule to find out what’s happening in Ladakh and should they be comprised under the Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution.