Leh, Oct. 22 -- The Ladakh administration has defended its decision to cancel the land allotment to climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), telling the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh that the lease had lapsed because the institute failed to execute the required agreement or pay land dues. In a separate development, Wangchuk has accused the Centre of breaking its understanding with Ladakh's political groups after a proposed meeting on constitutional safeguards and democratic representation did not take place on October 22.
In a 136-page affidavit, Leh Deputy Commissioner and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) CEO Romil Singh Donk said the allotment of 1,076 kanals and one marla of land at Phyang Thang, granted on May 5, 2018, was conditional on executing a lease deed and depositing the prescribed land premium within one year.
The administration said the allotment automatically lapsed on May 5, 2019, because HIAL neither paid the land premium or ground rent nor secured formal possession through the Tehsildar. It described the institute's petition challenging the August 21, 2025, cancellation order as "misconceived, devoid of merit, and barred by delay and laches".
The affidavit further alleged that HIAL made incorrect statements in its petition by claiming that it had sent repeated reminders to the authorities and deposited the required dues. According to the administration, official records showed no written communications between May 2018 and March 2020 and no payments.
It also cited letters sent by HIAL in June 2020 seeking a complete waiver of the land premium and ground rent, which was not granted.
The administration questioned whether the institute had fulfilled its educational purpose. It cited an October 2026 certification by Ladakh's Higher Education Department stating that HIAL was not a recognised university and its courses were not affiliated with the University of Ladakh or any other statutory body.
HIAL CEO Gitanjali Angmo denied the allegations made by the administration.
The affidavit also raised questions about land occupied by the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), founded by Wangchuk. It alleged that the organisation had occupied 124 kanals of state land at Phey for more than three decades without formal allotment or payment of an assessed premium of Rs 80 lakh.
The administration referred to complaints by local residents, the Phyang Welfare Society and village nambardars, who alleged that HIAL had failed to fulfil promises of establishing a world-class university, restricted access to traditional pastureland and diverted ancient irrigation streams for its Ice Stupa experiments, contributing to water shortages for farmers. The villagers also alleged that the institute had encroached on an additional 174 kanals beyond its boundary wall.
The affidavit cited the Union Home Ministry's cancellation of SECMOL's Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act registration on September 25, 2025, alleging multiple statutory violations, including the receipt of foreign funding from a Swedish donor for work concerning India's sovereignty that the ministry considered prejudicial to national interest.
It also referred to the violence in Leh on September 24, 2025, when protests over Ladakh's political demands turned violent. The administration said political offices were burnt, police vehicles were torched and more than 30 security personnel were injured. Wangchuk was briefly detained under the National Security Act following the unrest, before his detention was revoked in March 2026.
Arguing that public land must be managed in the interest of the population, the administration invoked the Public Trust Doctrine and urged the court to dismiss HIAL's petition with costs. It suggested that the land could instead be allotted to institutions such as a Sainik School, an Eklavya Model Residential School or Sindhu Central University. It also argued that Wangchuk's awards and international recognition had no bearing on compliance with the lease conditions.
Separately, Wangchuk said representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) had prepared for talks with the Union Home Ministry on October 22, following a meeting in Leh on October 15.
At the earlier meeting, the groups submitted their draft proposals and received the ministry's proposal. Both sides compared the documents, expecting to discuss their differences at the next meeting.
"I had already booked my tickets. We made our plans accordingly, but now they are saying the meeting is not happening," Wangchuk said at a press conference in Delhi, describing the development as another breach of trust.
The talks follow a May 22 meeting that raised hopes of progress on Ladakh's long-standing political demands. Wangchuk said the groups had initially sought statehood but proposed a Union Territory with an elected legislature and constitutional safeguards after being told that the region lacked the resources for statehood.
"We are saying again that nothing less than a Union Territory with a legislature and safeguards will be acceptable," he said.
Wangchuk said the government had previously proposed safeguards on the lines of Articles 371A and 371G and agreed in principle to a governance structure covering the entire region rather than limiting powers to district councils.
He argued that Ladakh's strategic location along the Chinese border made democratic representation particularly important. Condemning China's claims over the region, he said the government should not weaken Ladakh by denying its residents a greater role in governance. He alleged that the Lieutenant Governor was making unilateral decisions and that district councils had also seen their powers curtailed.
Wangchuk also raised concerns about the protection of land, resources and local identity, noting that around 90 per cent of Ladakh's population belongs to tribal communities. He cited protests by women against the expansion of liquor sales, saying local concerns required greater public participation in policymaking.
While acknowledging improvements in roads, airport infrastructure and the establishment of a High Court bench, he said development could not replace democratic rights. Citing Arunachal Pradesh, which became a state in 1987 despite its sensitive border location, he argued that strategic considerations should not prevent Ladakh from having an elected legislature.
Wangchuk also linked the dispute to the wider debate on electoral reforms and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, arguing that democratic rights must be considered in regions such as Ladakh, where residents cannot elect representatives to a legislative assembly.
"Elections alone are not enough if promises made to people were not fulfilled," he said, calling for broader electoral reforms.
The land case and the stalled political talks remain separate disputes, but both reflect continuing tensions over Ladakh's governance, public resources and the region's demand for stronger constitutional and democratic protections.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.