Revision as of 06:37, 15 April 2023

Constituencies

32-Sangha constituency: only monks vote and contest

Shiv Sahay Singh, 32-Sangha constituency: Sikkim’s intangible seat, where only monks contest and vote, April 3, 2019: The Hindu

3,293 voters are there in the segment sans shape or size as in April 2019.

This unique Assembly constituency does not exist on the State’s map and has no geographical boundaries.

“It is only one-of-its-kind constituency in the country reserved for the monastic community (Sangha),” the office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Sikkim states on its website.

Buddhist monks registered with 51 monasteries in the State are the only ones who can contest and cast their votes for the unique Assembly seat. R. Telang, CEO of Sikkim, said that the number of voters for the Sangha seat this year is 3,293, which includes 3,224 (monks) and 69 (nuns).

Three EVMs

“In 51 polling stations, arrangements are being made for casting vote for the Sangha seat,” the CEO said. “Along with one EVM for Assembly seat, and one for Lok Sabha seat, there will be third EVM for monks to cast votes on the Sangha seat,” he added. The 3,293 monks can vote at the EVMs designated for the Lok Sabha seat and for the Sangha seat in these 51 polling stations, he added.

Centuries-old tradition

Sonam Lama, who won the Assembly seat in 2014 as a representative of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), said that the seat draws its origin from hundreds of years of tradition.

“Before 1975, when Sikkim became part of India, the State had a monarchy,” said Mr. Lama. “The Ministers to the king were selected from both common people and priests,” he added.

Tshering Lama, who is contesting the seat as a candidate of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), said that references to representation of Lamas (monks) in the council of ministers dated back to 1640 under the Chogyal kings of the State. Experts say the separate electorate for monks of the 51 registered monasteries in the Sangha seat is provided for under article 371 (F) of the Constitution, which has separate provisions with respect to the State of Sikkim.

Three-cornered contest

In the 2014 Assembly polls, the SKM candidate had won the seat by a margin of only 126 votes.

With one of the lowest numbers of voters, the Sangha Assembly seat is one of the closely contested seats of Sikkim. Other than candidates from SKM and SDF, Karma Tashi Bhutia from Congress is also in the electoral fray in this seat.

All three candidates are reaching out to the monks residing in monasteries across the State with promises to bring the Karmapa to Sikkim and serve the religion. On April 11, the monks would take a break from their spiritual routines and chanting of prayers to elect their representative.

Gorkhaland

2017: Support for Gorkhaland comes at a cost

Jigme Pazo, Paradise Imperiled: Sikkim pays price for Gorkhaland, Sep 9, 2017: The Times of India

See graphic:

2011-17, Sikkim’s support for Gorkhaland

2011-17, Sikkim’s support for Gorkhaland; Jigme Pazo, Paradise Imperiled: Sikkim pays price for Gorkhaland, Sep 9, 2017: The Times of India

Suraj Biswakarma is a worried man. The flourishing tourism business in Sikkim that was raking in big bucks for many like him has dried up, thanks to the neighbouring hills of Darjeeling shutting down to press its demand for separate statehood. During the tourist season the 33-yearold taxi driver from Gangtok easily made Rs 70,000 a month, but this year he has barely managed Rs 25,000.

“Our biggest festival (Dashain) is around the corner. Every year I visit my inlaws with gifts. I don't know what my family and I will do this time,“ he said.

Sandwiched between China to the north and West Bengal to the south, the land-locked state of Sikkim has been brought to its knees as the Gorkhaland shutdown approaches a record-breaking three months. The state's only lifeline to the outside world, National Highway 10, remains open, but with 70km of it lying in Darjeeling and Kalimpong and reports of violence in the hills, tour ists have kept away. Tourism may have been the hardest hit, but virtually no other sector has remained unaffected either.

“Sikkim's development has slowed down as we depend on Siliguri for all our resources,“ said former tourism minister KT Gyaltsen, now legal advisor to the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front party. “The construction industry is affected. We have children studying in Darjeeling schools. People have taken a lot of loans and many of our youth are dependent on the tourism industry . It (the shutdown) has hit our economy .“

Tourism secretary Chewang Zangpo pointed out that between January and June this year, tourist footfall in the state hit a record 11.75 lakh, which included 31,000 foreigners, and then fell sharply . “Sikkim has been grossly affected. Although the national highway was always open, many countries started issuing advisories cautioning their citizens to avoid our state,“ he said.

The price that Sikkim is paying for the Darjeeling cause may be putting a strain on the overwhelming support it extended to its neighbour at the start of this latest round of agitation. What was initially a display of solidarity for neighbours of a similar culture, rapidly digressed into alarm as Sikkim vehicles came under attack across the border. As income from the tourism sector which has been flourishing in the past decade, remains non-existent, frustration is on the rise.

Gyalsten has a logical explanation for Sikkim's support for the cause. “If we had stayed silent, disturbance would have started right from Rangpo (the town bordering West Bengal). Our message was `We support the movement and now leave us alone,'“ he said. Pintso Chopel, Sikkim Democratic Front MLA Gangtok echoes a similar sentiment. “Our sympathy is always there but we want the problem solved as early as possible,“ he said.

Nepali community

Supreme Court’s observations: 2023

Briefly

Umang Poddar wrote on 1-2 Feb 2023

Sikkim is currently seeing massive statewide protests.

The reason? A Supreme Court verdict delivered about two weeks back.

While deciding who would be eligible for a tax exemption given in the state, the court said Sikkimese Nepalis were of "foreign origin".

Though this part features in the observation and is not part of the judgement's main ratio, it has touched a nerve regarding a long-standing identity debate in the state. (2/n)

There are three main communities in Sikkim: Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalis.

Though Nepalis have a numeric majority in the state, they have often been labelled as "outsiders".

Several groups [and the state government] are now trying to get the court to expunge these remarks.

More details

February 11, 2023: /groundreport.in

People of the Nepali community were on the streets in Sikkim, recently on January 13, the Supreme Court called the Nepali community of Sikkim foreigners during the hearing of the petition demanding tax exemption for Sikkimese citizens. After a massive protest, the Supreme Court removed the reference to Sikkimese-Nepalese as ‘people of foreign origin’ from its order on January 13 regarding tax exemption in Sikkim.

A bench of Justice MR Shah and Justice BV Nagaratna modified its decision while hearing the Centre’s application along with applications by Sikkim and private parties seeking modification of the remarks.

Initially, the apex court agreed to delete the portion ‘persons of foreign origin settled in Sikkim like Nepalis’, but Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, urged the bench to delete the entire sentence.

The bench said that the error occurred because the original writ petitioners made more than 25 amendments in the petition, but this fact was not brought to the notice of the court.

Three main groups in Sikkim

Let us tell you that there are mainly three ethnic groups in Sikkim, Lepchas, Bhutias, and Nepalis. The population of Lepchas and Bhutias in the state is 27 percent and Nepalis 58 percent.

The people of the Lepchaz and Bhutia communities used to be the elite class in the former Buddhist Kingdom. They believe that Sikkim had to join India in 1975 because of the civil unrest created by the Nepali community. After becoming part of India in 1975, the Lepchas and Bhutias became a minority in the state. Nepalis say that they have contributed to Sikkim’s economy for the last 150 years, so they have equal rights in Sikkim.

But the Nepali community of Sikkim has been facing an identity crisis for years. The observation of the Supreme Court has further increased the insecurity of this community.

What was the case in the Supreme court?

In the Supreme Court, the Marwari community of Sikkim challenged the tax exemption given to the communities living in Sikkim before 1975.

This tax exemption rule, which came in the year 2008, was discriminatory and against fundamental rights because many communities living in the state before 1975 were kept out of it, as well as tax exemption was not given to women who marry non-Sikkimese men.

The Supreme Court agreed that the benefit of tax exemption should be given to every domicile in Sikkim. The decision to keep women out of it has also been quashed by the Supreme Court.

Pronouncing her verdict, Justice BV Nagarathna said that Sikkim’s 1948 tax manual does not differentiate between citizens on the basis of origin, all citizens are equal irrespective of their origin.

That’s why all citizens should get equal rights.

Protests in Sikkim

The order of the Supreme Court has been welcomed by all, but there is a protest against the observation of the court in which Nepalese were called foreigners.

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang had also expressed concern over the court’s remarks amid the protests. Amid the public outcry, the state’s Additional Advocate General (AAG) Sudesh Joshi, who was representing the petitioners in the apex court, resigned on February 1.

Political parties in the state had accused the advocate general of not giving enough information to the court about the difference between the Nepali population settled in Sikkim and the people who had settled here in the past.

The very next day, on February 2, State Health Minister Mani Kumar Sharma resigned in protest against the state government’s mishandling of the Supreme Court’s remarks.

Politics is also intense on this matter, former BJP state president D.B. Chouhan supported protests across the state on this matter.

He said, “The central government should make every effort to protect the uniqueness of the state of Sikkim. The Law and Home Ministries should take all necessary steps to protect the special status accorded to the people of Sikkim, including Nepalis, Bhutias, and Lepchas, who voted for the merger in the Union of India.”

YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS

A brief history

1975

In 1975, Sikkim became the 22nd state of India, following a referendum that was conducted by the government of India. Prior to this, Sikkim was a Himalayan kingdom ruled by the Chogyal (king) under a monarchical system. The referendum was held after a period of political turmoil in Sikkim, with protests and agitation by political groups demanding a merger with India. The referendum was approved by a significant majority, and Sikkim officially became a part of India on May 16, 1975.

This ended its status as a protectorate and merging it with India. After that, the political history of Sikkim has been marked by various parties and leaders coming to power, as well as occasional protests and controversies.

After Sikkim's merger with India, the government of India introduced several measures to integrate the state into the Indian administrative system. This included the appointment of a Chief Minister and the establishment of a Legislative Assembly. In 1979, the first elections to the Sikkim Legislative Assembly were held, and Nar Bahadur Bhandari became the state's first Chief Minister. Bhandari went on to serve as Chief Minister for several terms, with his last term ending in 1994.

Here is a detailed overview of the political history of Sikkim from 1975 to 2021:

1975-1979: The first Chief Minister of Sikkim after its merger with India was Nar Bahadur Bhandari, who served from 1975 to 1979. Bhandari was a member of the Sikkim Congress, which later merged with the Indian National Congress. During his tenure, he worked towards developing the infrastructure of the state, including the construction of roads and bridges.

1979

1979-1984: In 1979, Sikkim had its first election after becoming a state, which was won by the Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP), a regional party. The SSP formed the government, and Kazi Lhendup Dorjee became the Chief Minister. However, his tenure was marked by controversy, as he was accused of corruption and nepotism. In 1984, Dorjee was arrested and the SSP government was dismissed.

1984

1984-1989: After the dismissal of the SSP government, Sikkim was put under President's rule.

In 1985, the Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP) was formed as the first political party in Sikkim. The party was led by Pawan Chamling, who later went on to become the state's longest-serving Chief Minister. The SSP was renamed the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) in 1993, and it has been in power in Sikkim since 1994. Under Chamling's leadership, the SDF introduced various initiatives for the state's development, including the introduction of organic farming, the expansion of tourism, and the establishment of various educational and healthcare institutions.

In 1985, a new election was held, which was won by the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), a new regional party formed by Pawan Kumar Chamling. Chamling became the Chief Minister, and he held the position for the next 24 years, making him the longest-serving Chief Minister of any Indian state.

1989

1989-1994: In the 1989 election, the SDF won again and Chamling continued as Chief Minister. During this period, he focused on developing the tourism industry in Sikkim and promoting the state as a tourist destination. He also worked towards improving the education and healthcare sectors.

1994

1994-1999: In the 1994 election, the SDF won again and Chamling was re-elected as Chief Minister. His government continued to focus on tourism, education, and healthcare. In 1997, Sikkim became the first state in India to achieve 100% literacy. During this period, the government also focused on the development of infrastructure and agriculture. Chamling also worked towards preserving the cultural heritage of Sikkim and promoting the state as a destination for adventure tourism.

2004

2004-2009: In the 2004 election, the SDF won again and Chamling was re-elected as Chief Minister for the fifth time. During this period, the government focused on promoting the organic farming industry in Sikkim, making it the first state in India to become fully organic.

2009

2009-2014: In the 2009 election, the SDF won again and Chamling was re-elected as Chief Minister for the sixth time. During this period, the government focused on promoting the hydropower sector and attracting investment to the state. The government also worked towards improving the road infrastructure in Sikkim.

2014

2014-2019: In the 2014 election, the SDF won again and Chamling was re-elected as Chief Minister for the seventh time. During this period, the government continued to focus on developing the infrastructure and tourism sectors. However, there were also some controversies, as the government was accused of corruption and nepotism.

2019

In 2019, Sikkim became the first state in India to have an open defecation-free (ODF) status, which was achieved through the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission). The state has also introduced several welfare programs, including the Chief Minister's Startup Scheme and the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-up for Healthy Sikkim (CATCH) program. In addition, Sikkim has been promoting eco-tourism and has been declared as India's first fully organic state.

In terms of political developments, in 2019, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) party, led by Prem Singh Tamang, defeated the SDF in the state's legislative assembly elections. Tamang became the new Chief Minister of Sikkim, ending Chamling's 25-year-long tenure as Chief Minister. The SKM has been working towards implementing various welfare programs and initiatives for the state's development.

2019: SKM’s Golay sworn in as CM

Chewan K Dahal, SKM’s Golay takes oath as Sikkim CM, May 28, 2019: The Times of India

Gangtok:

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) president Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) was sworn in as the sixth chief minister of Sikkim during a public function at Paljor Stadium.

Governor Ganga Prasad administered the oath of office and secrecy to Golay and his cabinet members. Golay took the oath of office in Nepali language along with the 11-member council of ministers comprising SKM acting president Kunga Nima Lepcha and others.

After taking charge of the office, chief minister PS Golay announced a five-day working week for state government employees.

“We have fulfilled one of our election promises to reduce the working week for government employees from six days earlier to five days,” he said.

2019- 2021

In the period between 2019 and 2021, Sikkim witnessed significant political developments, including the loss of power by the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party, which had been in power for 25 years.

In the 2019 legislative assembly elections, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) party, led by Prem Singh Tamang, defeated the SDF and formed the government in Sikkim. Tamang, who is also known as P. S. Golay, became the new Chief Minister of Sikkim. The SKM won 17 out of the 32 seats in the assembly, while the SDF won 15 seats.

Under Tamang's leadership, the SKM government has been focusing on various initiatives for the state's development, including the introduction of the One Family One Job scheme, which aims to provide government jobs to at least one member of each family in Sikkim. The government has also been working on improving healthcare facilities in the state, with the launch of the Mukhya Mantri Sishu Swasthya Karyakram (MMSSK) program, which provides free healthcare services to children up to the age of 18 years.

In addition, the SKM government has been promoting tourism and has launched several initiatives to boost eco-tourism in the state. The government has also been working on improving road connectivity and infrastructure in Sikkim.

However, the SKM government has also faced some controversies and criticisms. In 2020, the government faced criticism for appointing Tamang's brother as the Chairman of the Sikkim State Cooperative Bank. The government was also criticized for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, with some opposition parties accusing the government of not doing enough to contain the spread of the virus.

The period between 2019 and 2021 has been a significant time in Sikkim's political history, with the loss of power by the SDF and the rise of the SKM government. The SKM government has been working on various initiatives for the state's development, but it has also faced criticism and challenges along the way. Sikkim continues to work towards achieving sustainable development and growth under the leadership of its elected representatives.

See also

Nathu La: Silk route

Sikkim, 1908

Sikkim: Assembly elections

Sikkim: Festivals

Sikkim: Flora

Sikkim: Parliamentary elections

Sikkim: Political history

Sikkim: The Kalchakra Puja