Sikkim: BJP presses SKM to table resolution on Special Intensive Revision under Article 371F

A political flashpoint has emerged ahead of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly sitting, as the Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded that the state government formally support a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls carried out under Article 371F.

The party’s demand follows comments made on December 10 in the Lok Sabha by SKM MP Indra Hang Subba, who linked Sikkim’s electoral integrity to its distinct legal history. Subba referenced the first elections held under the Representation of Sikkim Subject Act 1974 and stressed the need for “special attention” during electoral roll revisions. He remarked that “even 1,000 extra voters in Sikkim will bring a drastic change in the voting result”, a line the BJP says highlights the sensitivity of the state’s electoral demographics.

BJP leaders argue Subba’s parliamentary remarks strengthen their longstanding call for a revision that adheres to the original legal framework, including the Sikkim Citizenship Order 1975. According to the party, the MP’s statement “is a clear endorsement of the need for a special, focused revision that respects the historical and legal sanctity of Sikkim’s political identity”.

With the Assembly scheduled to meet on December 12, the BJP says the SKM government now has an opportunity to “walk the talk” by bringing a formal resolution backing an SIR conducted exclusively under Article 371F. The party contends this would demonstrate the ruling party’s stated commitment to safeguarding the political rights of future generations.

The BJP notes that SKM’s absolute majority removes any risk of opposition obstruction and argues that a resolution would unequivocally show the government’s intent to protect Sikkim’s old laws and the rights of its indigenous population.

The party has called for the Assembly to endorse two points: full government support for a Special Intensive Revision, and a requirement that the exercise be carried out strictly within the constitutional and legal framework specific to Sikkim.