GANGTOK: The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) has taken objections to the notifications of the Urban Developing & Housing Department for the constitution of urban local bodies in Sikkim.
According to a press release issued by its convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia, SIBLAC has expressed its “deep concern and apprehensions” over what it calls “objectionable contents” in the notifications and has demanded reservation of seats for the Bhutias and Lepchas in proposed local bodies.
SIBLAC has written to the Secretary, UD&HD on this issue. In the letter, SIBLAC has said that the notification finds “no mention” of seat reservation to the Sikkimese Bhutia -Lepchas in the proposed local bodies. “The reservation to the Bhutia-Lepchas in the proposed local bodies, much on the line of the Assembly Seat reservation under the ambit of Article 371 F of the Constitution, was even put forward by the Sangha MLA Acharya Tshering Lama during the last Budget Session of the Assembly and was apparently reciprocated by the concerned Minister.”
However, the Bhutia-Lepchas of Sikkim are “awkwardly pained to see the type of arrangements in distributing the number of seats which itself is too foreign from the hitherto existing Sikkimese socio-politico tradition, system and identity,” SIBLAC opines. “It is a pure case of departure from the Article 371F of our Constitution and the Sikkimese political setup,” it ahs further said.
Placing a demand for seat reservation for the Sikkimese Bhutia-Lepchas as 'BL-Seats' in the proposed local bodies, much on the line of the Assembly Seat reservation under the ambit of Article 371F of the Constitution, SIBLAC has said that this is to “provide for faster democratic decentralization of administration and devolution of financial Powers to the proposed Urban Local Bodies, and in conformity with the existing laws that governs Sikkim.” “The seat reservation in all the local bodies in Sikkim should be extended to the Bhutia Lepchas of Sikkimese origin as 'Bhutia Lepcha' Reservation (BL-Seats) and not as the Scheduled Tribes as erroneously being done by the present document, without being prejudice to anyone,” the letter reads.
SIBLAC has also questioned the Department whether the Revenue Order No.1 of 1917 would be applicable in the areas falling under the proposed local bodies or not.
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