The Third Session of the Eleventh Sikkim Legislative Assembly convened on Friday and successfully passed eight significant Bills aimed at reforming private university regulations and enhancing business compliance within the State. Among the key legislations was the Sikkim Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2025, which seeks to consolidate all private universities under a comprehensive regulatory framework. Education Minister Raju Basnet introduced the Bill, highlighting its necessity for maintaining uniform academic standards, preventing the commercialization of higher education, and protecting the interests of students.
The Bill references a Supreme Court ruling from Prof. Yashpal vs. State of Chhattisgarh (2005), reinforcing that universities must be subject to stringent legislative oversight and cannot merely serve as degree-distributing entities without adequate infrastructure and academic integrity. The legislation aims to ensure adherence to University Grants Commission norms and promote credible higher education institutions throughout Sikkim. It also emphasizes equitable distribution of these universities across constituencies to stimulate local development.
In addition, the Assembly passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Sikkim Bill, 2025. This Bill, introduced by Law Minister Basnet and modeled after the Central Government’s Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, aims to decriminalize minor offenses across various State laws by substituting imprisonment with monetary penalties. The intention behind this change is to instill investor confidence, alleviate the judicial workload, and facilitate a more business-friendly environment in the State.
Other Bills approved during the session included the Sikkim Goods and Services (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Sikkim Land Revenue Bill, 2025; the Sikkim Sewerage and Sewage Disposal Bill, 2025; the Sikkim Water Supply and Water Charges Bill, 2025; the Sikkim Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Sikkim Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Furthermore, the Assembly ratified a government resolution endorsing the final report of the Sikkim State High-Level Committee (SSHLC), which advocates for the inclusion of 12 indigenous communities in Sikkim in the Scheduled Tribe List. Chief Minister P.S. Golay, who also handles the Finance portfolio, presented five audit reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. These reports covered various sectors, including state finances for the year 2023–2024 and the performance of the State Bank of Sikkim.
The Speaker also announced the presentation of several annual reports from departments such as the Sikkim Information Commission and the Police Accountability Commission. In closing remarks, the Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, ministers, and MLAs for their participation and collaboration throughout the session. He acknowledged the efforts of officials who supported the audit and annual report presentations and thanked the media for their coverage.
Speaker Mingma Norbu Sherpa praised the collective efforts of the Assembly, noting that all Bills and resolutions scheduled for the session had been successfully passed before adjourning the session sine die.
Original Source: https://www.sikkimexpress.com/news-details/sikkim-assembly-clears-eight-bills
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