BJP asks SKM govt to carry out SIR in Sikkim under ambit of Art 371F

Gangtok, Dec 11 (PTI) The Sikkim BJP on Thursday urged the SKM government to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state under the ambit of Article 371F of the Constitution which protects the rights of the indigenous people.

The request came a day after Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) MP Indra Hang Subba in the Lok Sabha pitched for SIR in Sikkim as per the constitutional provisions applicable to the state.

"The SKM government needs to walk the talk on SIR in Sikkim and bring a resolution in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly for conducting SIR under Article 371F," state BJP president DR Thapa said in a statement.

The voter turnout of 80 per cent in Sikkim in recent elections is significantly high, as the national average is 65 per cent, the BJP leader said adding that the SIR would bring out the anomaly in the electoral roll.

Subba had said that an increase of "even 1,000 extra voters in Sikkim will bring a drastic change in the poll result" which underscores the need for meticulous and focused revision.

Thapa said that the party has consistently been demanding the SIR of electoral rolls in Sikkim should strictly under the ambit of Article 371F of the Constitution of India and referencing the legal provisions of the Representation of Sikkim Subject Act 1974 and the Sikkim Citizenship Order of 1975.

"The SKM MP's remarks in parliament validated BJP's core demand for SIR in Sikkim as per article 371F," he said. PTI KDK NN