The High Court of Sikkim has refused to hear a petition challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state’s electoral rolls, saying the issue is already before the Supreme Court. A division bench of Chief Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan held that it would be inappropriate for the High Court to adjudicate independently while related proceedings are pending in the apex court.
The bench told the petitioner to either move the Supreme Court directly or seek a transfer of the case to the apex court, and the matter was adjourned sine die, effectively putting further hearings on hold indefinitely. By refusing to proceed, the High Court signalled deference to concurrent litigation at the national level.
According to sources, the petitioner — the Sikkimese Moolniwasi Suraksha Sangh — is expected to approach the Supreme Court in the coming days. Discussions and internal consultations by the organisation are reportedly underway as it finalises its next legal steps.
The petition originated as a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Sikkimese Moolniwasi Suraksha Sangh. The group is not seeking a stay on the Special Intensive Revision itself but has asked that the exercise be carried out fairly, including a reconsideration of the cut-off year used to determine voter eligibility in the SIR. The cut-off year refers to the date used to decide which residents qualify to be registered during the revision.
The petitioner has emphasised that the matter has broader implications for Sikkim because of the state’s special constitutional protections under Article 371F, and has urged judicial scrutiny of how the electoral revision is being conducted. With the High Court stepping back pending the Supreme Court’s handling of related issues, the case now appears likely to be resolved, or further constrained, at the national level.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/sikkim/story/sikkim-high-court-defers-sir-petition-advises-petitioner-to-approach-supreme-court-1408648-2026-06-15?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-06-15 19:09:00
