SC agrees to remove “Foreign Origin” tag for Sikkimese-Nepali people of Sikkim

The apex court has agreed to remove the remark describing Sikkimese-Nepalese as people of "foreign origin" from the judgment in " Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim vs Union of

In a big development, the Supreme Court has decided to remove the “Foreign Origin” tag for Sikkimese-Nepali people of Sikkim. The move comes amid protests by people and political parties, violence, and bandhs that the state has been witnessing since January 13 when the Apex Court in an observation referred to the Sikkimese Nepali people of Sikkim as ‘immigrants’.

The news came amid a 12-hour state-wide bandh that was called by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) to protest the Supreme Court’s observation of January 13. Since January 13, the state has seen a lot of violence, protests and bandhs.

The Sikkimese Nepalis comprise of over 78 per cent of the state’s population.
After the issue snowballed into a big political development, the state government approached the Centre and also filed a review petition in the Supreme Court. Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju and other top legal minds of the country to resolve the matter.

On February 6, the Centre had filed a review petition in the Supreme Court to support the state government’s review petition filed in the apex court.

Senior Advocate C. S. Vaidyanathan, a legal stalwart who represented Lord Ram Lalla before the Apex Court in the Ramjanmbhoomi Babri Mosque case was assisted by Senior Advocate & Additional Advocate General of Sikkim Dr. Doma Tsering Bhutia as they appeared before the Supreme Court for the Sikkim government on the matter.

Senior Advocate and Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta himself represented the Government of India.

Both Sikkim government and the Centre had filed review petitions before the SC pleading the SC to remove the foreigner tag. The matter was taken up this evening.
The Supreme Court had made the observation while extending income tax exemption to all old settlers of the state.

The matter will also be discussed at the special session of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly to be held tomorrow, February 9.

Also Read : Sikkimese Nepali Identity Row: 12-hour Sikkim bandh called by JAC paralyses life in the state

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