The High Court of Sikkim at Gangtok, on August 21, comprising of Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder and Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai, heard a PIL filed by scholar Dhan Raj Gurung seeking urgent safeguards for the linguistic, constitutional sanctity and academic accuracy of the Nepali language as taught and propagated by the Respondent. During the proceedings, the Respondent admitted that notice of the petition had initially not been received due to a technical error, but confirmed representation before the Court.
In response to earlier directions, the Respondent had filed an affidavit dated August 19, 2025, stating its decision to form a “Linguistic Oversight Expert Committee” comprising eminent scholars and linguists in Nepali language, phonetics, pedagogy, and curriculum design. Since the University had neither finalized the Committee nor fixed a timeline, the Court directly constituted the body, naming six distinguished experts including academicians, Sahitya Akademi awardees, and the President of Sikkim Akademi.
The Court directed that the Committee’s majority decision shall be final and binding. The Committee is to commence work immediately and submit its report to the State Education Department within four weeks. Sikkim University must thereafter place its considered views along with the Committee’s findings before the Court within one week. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on September 25, 2025.
Appearances:
For Petitioner : Advs- Mr. Kazi Sangay Thupden, Mr. O.P. Bhandari, Mr. Sajal Sharma, Mr. Uday Kunwar, Ms. Som Maya Gurung, Ms. Srijana Bagdas and Mr. Gyaltsen Barfungpa
For the Respondents : Adv. Bhushan Nepal -( R1),Advs- Ms. Sangita Pradhan, Deputy Solicitor General of India assisted by Advs. Ms. Sittal Balmiki and Ms. Natasha Pradhan -( R2), Mr. Zangpo Sherpa, Additional Advocate General with Mr. Sujan Sunwar, Assistant Government Advocate- (R3)
