Sikkim Assembly passes three amendment bills, adopts pollution law resolution
The Sikkim Assembly passed three amendment bills and adopted a resolution on the Water Pollution Amendment Act. The House also approved departmental grants for 2026-27 on the penultimate day of the Budget Session.
- Jul 22, 2026,
- Updated Jul 22, 2026, 4:25 PM IST
- All three legislations were introduced on the Budget Session's opening day
- The resolution was moved by Minister Pintso Namgyal Lepcha in the House
- MLA Sonam Tshering Venchungpa seconded the proposal under Article 252 provisions
The Sikkim Legislative Assembly on July 22 passed three amendment bills, adopted a government resolution on the implementation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, and approved the demands for grants of several departments during the penultimate day of the Budget Session.
The House passed the Sikkim Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education, Sikkim (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Sikkim Fire and Emergency Services (Amendment) Bill, 2026 by voice vote. All three legislations had been introduced on the opening day of the Budget Session on July 20.
Members also adopted a government resolution moved by Forest and Environment Minister Pintso Namgyal Lepcha and seconded by MLA Sonam Tshering Venchungpa, seeking the state's adoption of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024 under Article 252 of the Constitution.
The resolution noted that the amended law, notified on February 15, 2024, is already in force in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and the Union Territories, while other states can implement it by passing resolutions in their respective legislatures.
The amendment aims to decriminalise certain provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, simplify regulatory processes to improve the ease of doing business, and streamline the appointment of chairpersons to state pollution control boards.
During the financial business of the House, chaired by Deputy Speaker Raj Kumari Thapa, the Assembly also approved the demands for grants for multiple departments for the 2026–27 financial year. These included the Buildings and Housing and Labour Department; Urban Development and Food & Civil Supplies Department; Health and Family Welfare, Culture and Ayush Department; Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, and Fisheries Development Department; as well as the Forest and Environment, Mines and Geology, and Science and Technology Departments.
