Victim's Birth Certificate Registered 17 Years After Birth Cannot Automatically Establish Minority: Sikkim HC Acquits Man In POCSO Case

The Sikkim High Court has held that a birth certificate registered years after a person's birth cannot automatically be presumed to be correct when statutory requirements under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, were not complied with. The division bench of Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai and Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan observed that the birth certificate was issued on April 5,...

RTI Applicant Entitled To Recruitment Exam Merit List, Marks Subject To No Social Media Publication: Sikkim High Court

The Sikkim High Court directed the Sikkim Public Service Commission (SPSC) to furnish a consolidated merit list and interview marks of candidates who appeared in the Sikkim Services (Combined Recruitment) Examination, 2022, while recording an undertaking from the RTI applicant that the information would not be published on any social media platform.Recording the SPSC's willingness to comply...

Rape Conviction Can Rest On Victim's Testimony Despite Failed Test Identification Parade, Negative Forensic Report: Sikkim High Court

The High Court of Sikkim has upheld the conviction of a bus driver for rape under Section 376(1) of the Indian Penal Code, holding that the victim's testimony, corroborated by medical evidence and other prosecution witnesses, was sufficient to establish the accused's guilt even though the victim had failed to identify him during a Test Identification Parade (TIP) and the forensic examination...

Centre Notifies Appointment Of Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai As Chief Justice Of Patna High Court

The Central Government on Tuesday (June 2) notified the appointment of Sikkim High Court judge Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai as Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal took to X (formerly Twitter) to notify the appointment which states:"In exercise of the power conferred by the Constitution of India and in consultation with the Chief Justice of India, the...

SC Collegium Recommends Appointment Of Sikkim HC Judge Meenakshi Rai As Patna HC Chief Justice

The Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on 22nd May, 2026 has recommended appointment of Ms. Justice Meenakshi M. Rai, Judge, High Court of Sikkim as Chief Justice, High Court of Judicature at Patna, consequent upon retirement of incumbent Chief Justice on 4th June,...

Suspension Period Treated As Extra-Ordinary Leave Cannot Count Towards Pensionable Service For Convicted Govt Servant: Sikkim High Court

The Sikkim High Court has held that a government servant convicted in a criminal case was not entitled to pension after failing to complete the mandatory 10 years of qualifying service under the Sikkim Services (Pension) Rules, 1990. The Court observed that since the petitioner's suspension period had been validly treated as extra-ordinary leave, it could not be reckoned for qualifying...

Testimony Of Differently-Abled Rape Survivor Cannot Be Discarded For Inability To Name Accused: Sikkim High Court

The Sikkim High Court has held that the testimony of a differently-abled victim in a sexual offence case cannot be discarded merely due to her inability to clearly communicate or identify the accused, stressing that courts must focus on the substance of what is conveyed rather than the manner of expression. The Court observed that failure of a victim with intellectual disability to...

'Partial Penetration Suffices Under POCSO': Sikkim High Court Upholds Conviction Of 60-Year-Old Man For Sexually Assaulting 5-Yr-Old

The Sikkim High Court upheld the conviction of a 60-year-old accused for committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a five-year-old child under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) Division Bench of Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai and Justice Bhaskar Raj remarked that: “...having prima facie found that, the Appellant, aged about sixty years, had...

Fractured Ribs Or Treated Hip Dislocation Alone Cannot Establish Permanent Disability Without Medical Proof: Sikkim High Court

The Sikkim High Court held that a fracture of ribs or a treated hip dislocation cannot, by itself, justify a finding of permanent disability in the absence of supporting medical evidence. It noted that the claimant failed to establish the consequences of the vertebral injury, and even the witness testimony was unreliable.Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai remarked that : “the fracture of ribs...

Sikkim High Court To Organise National Conclave On Technology And Judicial Education At Gangtok

The High Court of Sikkim is organising a two-day “National Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education” at Gangtok on May 1 and 2, 2026. The conclave will include the following conferences:National Technology Conference for Transformation of the Indian Judiciary; andConference of Commonwealth Judicial Educators in the Digital Age, organised by the Sikkim Judicial Academy under the aegis...

Sikkim High Court Directs State To Consider Sub-Classification Within 'Blindness & Low-Vision Disability' Quota In Public Employment

The Sikkim High Court has directed the State Government to consider providing sub-classification within the "Blindness and Low-Vision" category in public employment, observing that treating unequals as equals undermines substantive equality. Applying the principle of reasonable accommodation, the bench of Chief Justice A Muhamed Mustaque in his order observed:"The inherent differences in...

Fair Reporting Of FIR Not 'Media Trial'; Press Acts As Watchdog Of Democracy: Sikkim High Court

The Sikkim High Court has held that fair and accurate reporting of the registration of an FIR, without sensationalism or prejudgment, cannot be termed as a “media trial.” It remarked that reporting on criminal proceedings is the role of the press as the fourth pillar of democracy and is a part of the media's duty as a public watchdog. The Court further clarified that such...