The Ladakh administration has told the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh that land allotted to activist Sonam Wangchuk’s institute was cancelled because the organisation failed to meet the conditions of the original allotment.
In a 136-page affidavit, Leh Deputy Commissioner and LAHDC CEO Romil Singh Donk said the 40-year lease granted to the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL) had already “lapsed by operation of law” on May 5, 2019. The administration said HIAL neither executed the required lease deed nor paid the mandatory land premium within the stipulated one-year period.
The affidavit was filed in response to HIAL’s petition challenging the administration’s August 21, 2025 order cancelling the allotment of land at Phyang
Thang. The land in question covers 1,076 kanals and one marla.
According to the administration, the original allotment order issued on May 5, 2018 was conditional. It stated that the allotment would be cancelled if the lease deed was not executed within one year.
The UT administration further claimed that HIAL did not deposit any amount towards the land premium or ground rent. It also allegedly failed to complete the formal process for taking possession of the land through the Tehsildar.
The administration has asked the court to reject HIAL’s petition, calling it “misconceived, devoid of merit, and barred by delay and laches”.
Administration Questions HIAL’s Status
Another issue raised in the affidavit concerns HIAL’s status as an educational institution.
The Higher Education Department of UT Ladakh reportedly certified in October 2026 that HIAL is not a recognised university and that its courses are not affiliated with the University of Ladakh or any other statutory body.
The administration said this goes against the stated purpose for which the alternative university project was proposed.
HIAL CEO Gitanjali Angmo, however, denied the claims made by the Ladakh administration in its affidavit when approached for a response.
Allegations Over SECMOL Land
The affidavit also brought Wangchuk’s other organisation, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), into the dispute.
The administration claimed that SECMOL has occupied 124 kanals of state land at Phey for more than three decades without a formal allotment or payment of an assessed premium of around Rs 80 lakh.
It also referred to complaints from local residents, the Phyang Welfare Society and village Nambardars. According to the affidavit, they have approached authorities repeatedly since 2018 over alleged broken promises linked to the university project.
The complaints include allegations that ancient irrigation channels were diverted for “Ice Stupa” experiments and that another 174 kanals of land was allegedly encroached upon beyond the boundary wall.
The administration said villagers had accused HIAL of promising a world-class university but later blocking access to traditional pasture areas. It also alleged that the diversion of old natural water channels for Ice Stupa projects contributed to water shortages faced by farmers.
Administration Cites Wangchuk’s Past
The UT administration has also referred to events involving Wangchuk and SECMOL dating back to 2006.
It cited an October 2006 communication from the then Leh district magistrate, which allegedly recorded that Wangchuk had threatened the Hill Council and district administration during a council meeting. Officials subsequently recommended surveillance and preventive measures, according to the affidavit.
The administration also referred to orders issued in March 2007 that restricted public gatherings, speeches and the circulation of what authorities described as provocative VCDs by SECMOL.
An April 2007 report by the chief education officer allegedly accused Wangchuk of unauthorisedly occupying 200 kanals of land while conducting educational programmes and of disrupting the functioning of the education department.
The administration argued that these incidents reflected a continuing pattern of disputes over public land and alleged non-payment of government dues.
Reference To September 2025 Protests
The affidavit also links the land dispute to the protests in Leh in September 2025.
It referred to the Union Home Ministry’s intervention, the cancellation of SECMOL’s FCRA registration and Wangchuk’s detention under the National Security Act, which was later revoked in March 2026.
The administration said the protests led to serious law-and-order problems. It referred specifically to events on September 24, 2025, alleging that speeches made during Wangchuk’s hunger strike helped incite a mob.
According to the affidavit, political party offices were set on fire, police vehicles were torched and more than 30 security personnel were injured. It also said the office of the Chief Executive Councillor of the Hill Council that had originally allotted the land was set on fire.
Administration Says HIAL Made False Claims
The UT administration has also accused HIAL of making incorrect statements in its court petition.
It said HIAL claimed that it had repeatedly contacted authorities during the first year of the allotment and had deposited the required dues. The administration said official records show no written communication from HIAL between May 2018 and March 2020 and no payments towards the land.
It further claimed that HIAL later wrote to the authorities in June 2020 seeking a complete waiver of the land premium and ground rent. According to the administration, that request was never approved.
The affidavit also alleged that HIAL and SECMOL had repeatedly sought to retain public land without meeting the applicable conditions.
Public Land Argument Before High Court
The administration has urged the High Court to dismiss HIAL’s petition, arguing that public land must be managed in the interest of the wider public.
Invoking the Public Trust Doctrine, it said state land cannot be treated as private property or distributed as personal largesse.
The administration also rejected Wangchuk’s references to awards, international recognition and visits by prominent guests, arguing that such achievements have no bearing on whether the conditions of a land allotment were fulfilled.
It has suggested that the reclaimed land could instead be used by established national institutions, including a Sainik School, an Eklavya Model Residential School or Sindhu Central University.
The administration has also argued that Wangchuk and HIAL should not receive discretionary relief from the court, citing what it described as his past conduct and alleged law-and-order violations.
The dispute will now be considered by the High Court, where HIAL has challenged the cancellation of the land allotment.
