Gangtok: The Sikkim Legislative Assembly (SLA) on Friday unanimously passed the B.V. Sharma–led State High-Level Committee report recommending the inclusion of 12 left-out communities for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, marking a major milestone in a decades-long demand for recognition.
The Social Welfare Minister, Samdup Lepcha, tabled the report during a special session of the House. The committee’s recommendations include the inclusion of Bhujel, Gurung, Jogi, Kirat Khambu Rai, Kirat Dewan (Yakha), Khas (Chhetri-Bahun), Mangar, Newar, Sanyasi, Sunuwar (Mukhia), Thami, and Majhi communities.
During the discussion, Ministers Arun Kumar Upreti, Nar Bahadur Dahal, Raju Basnet, MLA Lok Nath Sharma, and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang endorsed the report, describing it as comprehensive and grounded in socio-cultural, anthropological, and historical evidence supporting the communities’ demand for ST recognition.
Speaking to the media, Chief Minister Tamang said the government had worked “seriously and systematically” on the report and would forward it to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Registrar General of India (RGI) at the earliest. He expressed confidence that the 12 communities would receive due recognition based on the committee’s findings.
The demand for ST status for these communities spans several decades. The earlier Burman Commission report, prepared under the previous government, was rejected by the RGI. In response, the state initiated a fresh process, beginning with a crucial meeting with community leaders from the Darjeeling hills on 6 October 2024 in Siliguri, which led to the formation of the new expert committee.
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The Sikkim State High-Level Committee, chaired by Prof. B.V. Sharma, was notified on 4 November 2024 and held its first meeting with the Chief Minister on the same day. This was followed by multiple rounds of consultations with representatives from all 12 communities.
With the Assembly’s unanimous approval, the report is now being sent to the Central Government, rekindling hope among the left-out communities for long-awaited constitutional recognition.
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