- Sujal Pradhan, NET Correspondent, Sikkim
The Team Reform Call which announced the formation of a new regional party, has raised various queries against the ruling-Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) on the recently-passed Sikkim Public Demands Recovery Act, 2022 : Section 12(2)(a) and Sikkim Public Services Delivery (Right To Service) Act, 2022.
A member of the Reform Call – Mahesh Rai, asserted that the Sikkim Public Demands Recovery Act, 2022; and especially Section 12(2)(a) does not fulfill the principle of natural justice and must immediately withdraw such provisions. State legislature must know the existence of arbitration system and existence of tribunals.
Similarly, the Sikkim Public Services Delivery (Right To Service) Act, 2022 and its Section 4(1), (2) nullifies the existence of whole statute. “Sikkim Legislative Assembly misled its constituents, failing to serve them,” – he added.
Responding to a query if the SKM government lacks legal knowledge, Rai replied “we are not saying but apparently or rather seeing these mistakes, they lack in knowledge and their passed act is communicating it.”
The Chief Minister categorically mentioned that more than 53 vehicles distributed from the official residence of CM, did not belong to the state’s Consolidated Fund, but rather were received from well-wishers.
Additionally, the Chief Minister holding number of ministry charges including Home and Finance has breached the “Code of Conduct for Ministers, both Union and State”, which was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
“The 1589 Crore Economic Revival Package : 1089, a special interest free financial assistance was extended by the Ministry of Finance in 2021 to all the states. Sikkim received 200cr in 2020-21 and 300cr in 2021-22. The state administration must therefore demonstrate, how and where it has utilized the fund, as well as its outcomes,” – Rai added.