Sikkim government introduces Sikkim Public Demands Recovery (Amendment) Bill, 2025

The Sikkim Government has introduced the Sikkim Public Demands Recovery (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (Bill No. 06 of 2025), which seeks to amend the existing Sikkim Public Demands Recovery Act, 2006. The proposed amendment aims to make the recovery process more transparent and just by incorporating provisions for appeals, allowing aggrieved debtors to seek recourse through higher authorities.

The Bill introduces a new clause in Section 2, defining the "Appellate Authority" responsible for hearing appeals from any original orders made under the Act. The key change is the insertion of a new Section 6C, which outlines the procedure for filing appeals. According to the amendment, if a Certificate Officer below the rank of District Magistrate issues an order, the appeal will be directed to the District Collector. If the order comes from a District Collector, the appeal will go to the Secretary of the Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department.

However, the Bill also specifies that no appeal will be entertained unless the borrower deposits 50% of the total dues determined by the Certificate Officer. Furthermore, appeals related to the cancellation of sales made under Section 15 will not be permitted.

The Sikkim Public Demands Recovery Act, initially enacted to recover public dues and debts, was previously amended in 2022 to enhance its effectiveness.