State Council (Sikkim)
Sikkim State Council | |
---|---|
First-past-the-post | |
First State Council election | 1953 |
Last State Council election | 1974 |
Meeting place | |
Gangtok, Sikkim |
The State Council of Sikkim was the unicameral legislature of the former Kingdom of Sikkim, which was located in the Himalayas, between India and China.
There were six elections held for the council between 1953 and 1974. In 1975, after a referendum to abolish the monarchy, and the passing of the 36th amendment to the Indian constitution, the monarchy was abolished, along with the State Council. The territory of the kingdom was merged with India, becoming its 22nd state. The members of the State Council at the time, were deemed to be the Legislative Assembly of the newly formed state.
Structure
The council was composed of some elected members and some nominated by the Chogyal. After the 1973 election, the composition was changed and the appointments by the Chogyal were eliminated, while at the same time the number of seats in the council was increased.[1]
Executive Council
From among the State Council members, an Executive Council (equivalent to a cabinet of ministers) was chosen by the Chogyal. The Executive Council was presided over by the Dewan of Sikkim,[2] and each member within it was given individual government responsibilities.[3]
History
The State Council of Sikkim existed since at least the late 19th century.[4] It was an advisory and executive body, and was presided by the Chogyal (King). After the Independence of neighbouring India in August 1947, various political bodies in Sikkim began to demand greater say in the kingdom's administration.[5] In 1952, the Chogyal conceded and announced new constituencies, for an election in 1953.[2][6]
The Chogyal agreed to have 12 (out of 18) seats on the council, be electable. The other six were appointed by the Chogyal. Under a parity formula agreed upon by the political groups, six of the electable seats were to be for the
Although the term of the Council was set as three years, the Chogyal decided to extend the term of the first Council, until 1958.
The second council's term was due to end in 1961, but the outbreak of the
After the 1973 elections, the
Final years (1974–75)
In May 1974, the council passed the Government of Sikkim Act, which provided for responsible government, and furthering relations with India.[15] This was followed, in July, by them adopting a new constitution that provided for the country becoming a state of India. The Chogyal signed this constitution under pressure from the Indian government.[16] The Lok Sabha then voted in favour of making Sikkim an "associate" state. The Rajya Sabha voted for an amendment on 8 September, giving it a status equal to that of other states, and absorbing it in the Indian Union.[17][18] On 8 September, the Chogyal cited "widespread Sikkimese misgivings over the bill", and called for a free and fair referendum. The Sikkimese Students Association echoed his call for a referendum.[19]
In March 1975, the Sikkim National Congress repeated its calls for integration into India, while the Chogyal again called for a referendum.[16] On 9 April 1975, Indian troops entered the country, disarmed the palace guard (killing one of them, and injuring four others)[20] and surrounded the palace,[21] putting the king under house arrest.[22] The next day, the Council passed a Bill, declaring the office of the Chogyal as abolished, and called for a referendum on this issue, which was scheduled to be held four days later.[23] On 14 April, the referendum took place, resulting in more than 97% of the votes in favor of abolishing the monarchy.[16] Later in the month, on 26 April, the Indian parliament passed the 36th amendment to the constitution, which transformed Sikkim, from an Indian protectorate, to a new state within the Indian union.[24][25][26]
On 15 May, the
Electoral history
Election Year |
Pro-Independence | Pro-Merger [a] | Other/ Unknown |
Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appointed | SNP | ||||
1953 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 18 |
1958 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 20 | |
1967 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 24 | |
1970 | 8 | 7 | 3 | ||
1973 | 9 | 7 | 2 | ||
1974 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 32 |
- ^ Includes Sikkim State Congress, Sikkim Janata Congress, and the Sikkim National Congress into which the rest eventually merged
Constituencies
Year | Details | Constituencies | Seats | Elections | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nepali | BL | Others | Appointed | Total | ||||
1952 | Elections were announced for a new State Council, with 12 (out of 18) elected members.[2] | 4 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 1953 |
1958 | Seats in the State Council were increased to 20.[11] | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2 [a] | 6 | 20 | 1958 |
1966 | The "Representation of Sikkim Subjects Regulation, 1966" was passed.[12] The number of constituencies in the council was increased to 5. |
5 | 7 | 7 | 4[b] | 6 | 24 | 1967, 1970 and 1973 |
1974 | "The Government of Sikkim Act, 1974" was passed.[1] Multi-seat constituencies were eliminated. |
32 | 15 | 15 | 2[c] | 0 | 32 | 1974 |
- Sangha, General
- SC, General
- ^ Sangha, SC
See also
- History of Sikkim#Independent monarchy
- List of heads of government of the Kingdom of Sikkim
- Bombay Legislative Assembly
- Tripura Territorial Council
References
- ^ a b c "The Government of Sikkim Act, 1974". 6 July 1974. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d Tashi Namgyal (23 March 1953). "State Council and Executive Council Proclamation". pp. 16–21. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
The Dewas shall be the president of the Executive Council ...
- ^ Tashi Namgyal (4 August 1953). "State Council and Executive Council Proclamation - Memo No. 525". Endangered Archives Programme. pp. 25, 28. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Proceeding of the Council meeting held at Gangtok on 16th November 1892". 16 November 1892. p. 62. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ISBN 0706925092. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ ISBN 9788170997948.
- ^ "Results of elections - 1953". Sikkim Darbar Gazette. 2 (12). 12 May 1953.
- ^ a b Pem Choden Tenzing (July 2019). Monarchy to Democracy Understanding Political Development in Sikkim, 1970-1994 (Thesis). p. 147. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "Proclamation of Tashi Namgyal". Sikkim Darbar Gazette (1). 1956.
- ^ a b A. C. Sinha (February 2005). "Sikkim" (PDF). Sub-Regional Relations in the Eastern South Asia: With Special Focus on India's North Eastern Region. 113. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ a b Tashi Namgyal (16 March 1958). "Proclamation of His Highness Sir Tashi Namgyal, KCSI, KCIE, Maharaja of Sikkim, Dated the 16th March, 1958" (PDF). p. 102. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ a b Palden Thondup Namgyal (21 December 1966). "Representation of Sikkim Subjects Regulation, 1966". pp. 117–119. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ Shanker Sharma (8 May 2021). "The 8th May Agreement". Sikkim Express. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
The defeated parties alleged polling in Rabong, in South Sikkim, was rigged in the favour of the SNP candidate
- ^ "Sikkim Legislative Assembly". Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
The First Sikkim Assembly formed through the election held in 1974 with 32 members is deemed to be the First Legislative Assembly of Sikkim ... Sikkim Congress led by Kazi Lhendup Dorjee won 31 seats and one seat went in favour of Sikkim National Party.
- ISBN 8173870136.
- ^ a b c "Sikkim (Indien), 14. April 1975 : Abschaffung der Monarchie" [Sikkim (India), 14 April 1975: Abolition of the monarchy] (in German). 14 April 1975. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ "Lawmakers Vote Sikkim Status of Indian State". The Spokesman-Review. 5 September 1974. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ "Sikkim Bill Ratified". New Straits Times. 9 September 1974. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ "Sikkim Leader Wants Appeal". The Montreal Gazette. 9 September 1974. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ Asia Yearbook 1976
- ^ The World in 1975
- ISBN 9789810786465.
- ^ "Sikkim Referendum Slated on Indian Statehood". The Lewiston Daily Sun. 11 April 1975. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "India Slates State Status for Sikkim". Toledo Blade. 17 April 1975. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Sikkim Votes to End Monarchy, Merge With India". The New York Times. 16 April 1975. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Sikkim annexation OK'd". Eugene Register-Guard. 27 April 1975. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Sikkim Annexed, Now Indian State". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 16 May 1975. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "The Constitution (Thirty-sixth Amendment) Act, 1975". india.gov.in. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
... the Assembly for Sikkim formed as a result of the elections held in Sikkim in April, 1974 ... shall be deemed to be the Legislative Assembly of the State of Sikkim
- ^ "Sikkim Durbar Gazette notifications". p. 384. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.