Sikkim: Tseten Tashi Bhutia backs Indra Hang Subba on Article 371F, seeks state-level alignment

Tseten Tashi Bhutia, Convenor of the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee, has lauded Member of Parliament Indra Hang Subba for his recent remarks in the Lok Sabha, stressing the need to uphold Article 371F during the delimitation process.

During discussions on the Delimitation Bill 2026 and the Women’s Reservation framework, Subba asserted that Article 371F must be respected when delimitation is implemented. Bhutia described the statement as a timely and important acknowledgment of the constitutional safeguards specific to Sikkim.

Welcoming the MP’s stance, Bhutia said such positions reflect the responsibility expected from elected representatives, adding that the people of Sikkim value the protection of their constitutional rights.

However, he also raised concerns over what he termed a disconnect between national-level statements and ground realities within the state. Bhutia noted that there is growing public apprehension that the spirit of Article 371F is not always reflected in state-level policies, urging that such constitutional commitments must be consistently upheld both in Parliament and in governance at the local level.