High Court of Sikkim phase-IV building inaugurated

ISABELLA GURUNG

GANGTOK,: The Phase-IV building of the High Court of Sikkim was jointly inaugurated by Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya with Chief Minister PS Golay and Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder at the premises of the High Court of Sikkim here today.

In his address, the Governor expressed happiness on the inauguration of the Phase-IV building of the High Court of Sikkim and expressed that the building will be highly beneficial for the members of the Judiciary as well as their clients.

“The judiciary has its history and many historic decisions have been taken by the judiciary. Thus, infrastructure is of utmost importance,” expressed the Governor.

The Governor congratulated the Chief Minister and the Building & Housing department for successfully completing the building.

In his address, the Chief Minister said the inauguration of High Court of Sikkim Phase-IV building marks a momentous occasion in the history of Sikkim. With this new building, we have not just created a physical structure, but we have also provided our esteemed judges, lawyers, and the entire judicial system with state-of-the-art facilities that befit the significance of their work, he mentioned.

In the presence of our Governor, who represents the constitutional authority, and the Chief Justice of our High Court, who is the guardian of justice, I want to reaffirm our government's unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of democracy and justice, said the Chief Minister.

“This new High Court building stands as a beacon of hope, reminding us of our collective responsibility to ensure that justice is accessible to all, irrespective of their background or circumstances. It is a place where the voice of the oppressed will find solace, where the rights of the vulnerable will be defended, and where the rule of law will prevail,” said the Chief Minister.

Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder, in his welcome address, thanked each and every official, staff, and construction workers involved with the construction of the High Court of Sikkim building. The architects and engineers have done a commendable job, he said.

The Chief Justice observed that the judiciary has an excellent relationship with the State government adding that the legislative, executive and judiciary are functioning independently but also in harmony.

Buildings & Housing PCE-cum-secretary Praveen Kumar Pradhan presented the technical report where he informed that the Phase-IV building was sanctioned in 2017-18 and was completed on March 31, 2023. The construction was delayed due to the Covid pandemic.

The five-storied building has a parking area, lounge area with desk, office rooms, washrooms, pantry, bat room, equipped gymnasium, banquet hall for 75 people etc. Each room consists of a floor area of 4050 sq ft with modern furniture, CCTV facilities, water and sanitary facilities etc., it was informed.

The ceremony had the presence of Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan, Buildings & Housing minister Sanjeet Kharel, High Court of Sikkim officials, judicial officers, dignitaries, senior government officials and guests.