Sonam Wangchuk Withdrew Fast After Discussions: Delhi Police Tells High Court

The plea sought permission to allow Sonam Wangchuk and others to hold peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar for demanding Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh.

Climate activist Wangchuk and other volunteers embarked on a foot march from Leh to New Delhi on September 1 to urge the Centre to resume dialogue with Ladakh's leadership regarding their demands.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition moved by the Leh Apex Body seeking direction to the authorities to allow the group of persons from Ladakh led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk to protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

The pleas were dismissed after Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta appearing for the Delhi Police informed the High Court that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his associates from Ladakh have withdrawn their protest and fast after discussions.

A division bench comprising of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Amit Sharma dismissed the pleas as withdrawn.

The plea sought permission to allow Sonam Wangchuk and others to hold peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar for raising environmental awareness and demanding Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh.

The high court after confirming with withdrawal of plea by counsel for the petitioner dismissed it as withdrawn.

The plea was moved by Apex Body Leh, an organisation that claims to be working to protect Ladakh's cultural environmental interests. The footmarch which was led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk along with atleast 200 people from Ladakh was organised by this organisation. 

The plea moved by the Ladakh body said that by denying permission, the Delhi police is suppressing their fundamental right and limiting their ability to engage in public discourse, which undermines the principle of open expression. The plea further adds that the Delhi Police failed to provide any valid or reasonable grounds for rejecting the request for holding peaceful protest.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court disposed three petitions seeking the release of Sonam Wangchuk and others and their production before the court following a submission from the petitioner that climate activist and other detainees have been released.

Climate activist Wangchuk and other volunteers embarked on a foot march from Leh to New Delhi on September 1 to urge the Centre to resume dialogue with Ladakh's leadership regarding their demands. Before being detained, the activist shared the news of his detention through microblogging website 'X' and said "I am being detained along with 150 padyatris at Delhi Border, by a police force of 100s some say 1000. Many elderly men & women in their 80s and few dozen Army veterans...Our fate is unknown.

One of their key demands is for Ladakh to be included in the sixth schedule of the Constitution, which would grant law-making powers to the local population which they say will help them protect their land and cultural identity. They are also seeking separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.