While political observers and leaders alike appeared intrigued at the Centre’s Saturday decision to revoke the detention of Sonam Wangchuk, those in the know of things said they had seen this coming.Officials and the BJP sources said the revocation of National Security Act (NSA) against Wangchuk looked imminent the day the Centre effected a leadership change in Ladakh.RSS stalwart and former Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta was moved to Himachal Pradesh as Governor on March 6 and Vinay Kumar Saxena, a confidante of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, brought in.Saxena took oath as Ladakh Lieutenant Governor on Friday. While Wangchuk’s detention under the NSA was revoked by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday.The Ministry cited the need to facilitate a dialogue in the region to explain the move after vehemently defending NSA against Wangchuk in the Supreme Court, which is hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo.Sources said the release of Wangchuk a day after Saxena’s oath-taking ceremony in Ladakh clearly signalled the Centre’s intent to make a new beginning in the UT, which has strategic importance for the country due to the 1,597-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of the India-China border.“The government has always taken steps to resolve all possible grievances and meet the requirements of the people of Ladakh. A continuous dialogue with the community leaders of Ladakh has been undertaken for the past many years at different levels. Special concessions, including 15 years prospective domicile, and 80 percent reservation have also been granted for the people of Ladakh,” official sources said, adding that Wangchuk’s release is an extension of continuing confidence-building measures.They said talks that the MHA was holding with Ladakh stakeholders was hampered by the protests, bandhs and foot march that Wangchuk undertook last year.“The violence of September 24, 2025, was unprecedented and caused major public disorder impacting security of the sensitive region, which is why a criminal case and the NSA detention was required to prevent further disorder,” said sources.They said even after that, the government continued talks with the Ladakhi leadership. “In that same spirit, today’s revocation of Wangchuk’s detention is a positive step by the government to continue and show its willingness to take proactive measures and resolve all outstanding issues,” said MHA officials, explaining the move.On June 3, 2025, Home Ministry had notified a new, landmark domicile and reservation rules for Ladakh to protect the interests of local residents.The new rules had made domicile conditions stringent and reserved 85 percent government job vacancies for locals.The move comes at a time when the Government is engaged in talks with the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance, which are seeking statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The government, however, is proposing safeguards out of the ambit of the Sixth Schedule.