State issues fresh directives on holding of public meetings

GANGTOK, 02 Jan: With the upping of the ante on political activity in the State, the administration too seems to have woken up to the need to regulate the same. Lately there have been various political developments including the formation of the Democratic Alliance of Sikkim and the imminent floating of a political party by PS Tamang. With Assembly elections little over a year away, political meetings are bound to come more often. In this regard, it is not just the South district administration but the East district administration as well which has issued directives on the organizing of political or public meetings in the districts.
As per the directives, if any meeting is to be held on a private property, the organizing party or association has to furnish a no objection certificate from the owner of the private property. This will have to be submitted to the concerned authority at the time of submitting application seeking permission to hold a public meeting.
There will also be various fees required to be paid for public meetings the rates of which have not been issued by the East district administration. These include user charges and any other fee applicable. The directions further state that no public meetings will be allowed to be held at haat bazaars on haat days.
The administration has issued a list of venues where public meetings can be held and it has further directed that no other venue apart from those listed would be permitted for the holding of any public meeting. No protest, rallies, dharna or demonstrations will be allowed at Titanic Park or MG Marg, Gangtok.
In the event that a public meeting is to be organized in a school ground the district administration will first enquire with the Director, HRD department on the availability of the ground before granting any permission. Moreover, such meetings in school or college grounds will only be permitted on non-working days.
It has also been directed that permission for public meetings is to be acquired only from the administration and not any department. As far as holding public meetings in Gangtok are concerned, there are 17 notified venues of which 13 are either school or college grounds. The other venues listed are Guards Ground, Paljor Stadium, Taxi stand outside the district administration centre and the old fish pond. Venues have also been notified for Rangpo, Singtam, Ranipool, Pakyong, Rhenock and Rongli.