<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>GANGTOK, :</b><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif"> The
Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) has welcomed the Election
Commission of India’s (ECI) ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the
electoral rolls in Sikkim, while calling for strict adherence to constitutional
and legal provisions during the hearing process.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">In a
press statement issued on Thursday, SIBLAC appreciated the ECI, the Chief
Electoral Officer, Sikkim, the Election department, social organisations and
citizens for their efforts in ensuring a transparent and legally sustainable
revision of the electoral rolls.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">However,
the organisation expressed concern that hearings under the SIR exercise should
not become a “mere procedural formality” and urged authorities to examine every
claim and objection strictly in accordance with the instructions on the
Enumeration Form and applicable laws.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Among
its key submissions, SIBLAC emphasised that the Citizenship Act, 1955 became
applicable to Sikkim only after the State’s merger with India on May 16, 1975.
SIBLAC added that citizenship in the former Kingdom of Sikkim was governed by
the Sikkim Subject Regulation, 1961, under which citizenship was determined
primarily by descent rather than place of birth. SIBLAC convenor Tseten Tashi
Bhutia said this legal framework deserves careful consideration while examining
citizenship claims.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">SIBLAC
also recommended that cases involving claims of Indian citizenship based solely
on birth in Sikkim before May 16, 1975 be referred, where necessary, to the
Ministry of Home Affairs for clarification.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The
committee further urged electoral authorities to rely only on legally
admissible documents while deciding claims for inclusion in the electoral roll.
It argued that documents such as Dhuri Khazana records and Residential
Certificates, which do not record the holder's date and place of birth in
India, should not be treated as conclusive proof of citizenship or electoral
eligibility.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Similarly,
Bhutia stated that No Objection Certificates issued by elected representatives,
panchayats and school heads cannot determine citizenship or electoral
eligibility, as such authorities are not legally empowered to certify
citizenship.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The
organisation also called for verification of the foundational documents used
for issuing passports wherever necessary. Referring to a clarification by the
Ministry of External Affairs that passports are primarily travel documents and
citing a 2023 CBI investigation into the alleged issuance of passports to
foreign nationals using forged documents in Gangtok, SIBLAC said passports
alone should not be treated as conclusive proof of citizenship for electoral
purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“SIBLAC
respectfully submits that the objective of the Special Intensive Revision is
not to exclude any genuine Indian citizen from the electoral roll, but equally
to ensure that no person who is not legally entitled to be enrolled is
included. The integrity of the electoral roll is fundamental to free and fair
elections and to preserving public confidence in the democratic process.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The
committee appealed to officials conducting SIR hearings to act impartially and
decide every case solely on the basis of legally admissible evidence, without
being influenced by administrative convenience, public pressure or social media
campaigns.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif"> </span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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