Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

FIRST IN SIKKIM SERIES:  Meenakshi Madan Rai made history as the first Sikkimese woman appointed High Court Judge. She was sworn in on April 13, 2015, in Gangtok, when the then Governor Shriniwas Patil administered her oath.  Rai is the third Sikkimese to hold this position and the first female Justice in the High Court of Sikkim. Previously, Justice AP Subba was the first from Sikkim appointed to the High Court bench in October 2004, and Justice SP Wangdi followed in June 2009. 

NEW DELHI:: The Supreme Court has slammed the Sikkim High Court for adopting a “draconian, arbitrary and authoritarian” approach to evict a hapless widow from her rented premises in utter disregard for law. In a strongly-worded judgment with severe strictures against the acting Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court and another judge, the apex court ordered the restoration of the possession of the premises to victim Shanti Devi. A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhan and Altamas Kabir regretted that the action of the Sikkim High Court appeared more an effort at giving relief to the owner with “alacrity” rather than addressing the issues raised by the widow who had approached the court for justice. The apex court strongly deplored the manner in which the Sikkim High Court issued a contempt notice followed by a non-bailable warrant and then ordered the eviction of Shanti Devi. Offering relief to the victim, the apex court termed the action a “gross abuse of the due process of law, w...