Quest for Inclusion: States’ Need for Autonomy

Ladakh is witnessing a deepening crisis as residents demand constitutional safeguards, including statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, to protect their cultural identity, environment, and political autonomy following the 2019 reorganisation into a Union Territory without a legislature.

• The autonomy movement has intensified nationwide, with Tamil Nadu leading calls for federal rebalancing due to fiscal inequities and political marginalisation, while Nagaland and Assam grapple with long-standing demands for self-governance amid ongoing negotiations and unresolved sovereignty claims.

Reasons behind Rising Autonomy Demands

• Erosion of State Powers: The 42nd Amendment shifted key subjects like education and forests to the Concurrent List, curbing ....