Ladakh to Adopt Unique Governance Model, Grants Special Powers Without Statehood

In a major revelation, the Ladakh administration on Thursday said that the union territory will neither be a state nor a union territory with a legislative assembly, but will have a completely new model of governance that will have special powers. The announcement has caused surprise, shock and curiosity among the people, as the new model will have far-reaching consequences. Speaking to the media, Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra said that a "sui generis model" (a Latin word meaning "one of its kind" or "unique") will be prepared for Ladakh, which does not exist anywhere else in the country. It will be the first of its kind in India, specifically designed to bring Ladakh out of direct bureaucratic rule without granting it full statehood. Since the Centre maintains that granting full statehood to Ladakh is not practical, the "sui generis model" suggests a middle path through a constitutional amendment. The chief secretary, however, said that no state-governed body will have these powers.