Prem Singh Tamang / Chief Minister of Sikkim
Darjeeling–Sikkim Merger Row: What the 'Fourth Pathway' Said and Why It Caused Concern
There is no verified decision to merge Darjeeling with Sikkim. The current controversy concerns wording in a preliminary paper on a permanent political solution for the Darjeeling hills. Professor Mahendra P. Lama, who prepared the paper, says the wording did not refer to Sikkim and was removed before the document was submitted to the Centre. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has publicly rejected any merger.
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How the controversy began
A paper circulated among Darjeeling civil society members in July 2026 set out four possible paths for a political settlement. They included Gorkhaland statehood, Union Territory status, an autonomous arrangement within West Bengal, and a fourth option involving a separate North Bengal state and/or "contiguous areas of neighbouring States."
That final phrase prompted concern in Sikkim. Although the wording did not name Sikkim, political groups questioned whether the state's territory could be included in a proposed settlement for the Darjeeling hills. The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) sought clarification about the fourth option and its possible territorial implications.
What Professor Lama says
In a clarification reported on September 14, Lama rejected the claim that his roadmap proposed including Sikkim. He said no map depicting Sikkim as part of a proposed state accompanied the July paper circulated to civil society members. According to Lama, the reference to neighbouring states was not intended to mean Sikkim.
Lama also said the fourth option was left out of the document submitted to the Centre in August. According to his account, the final submission contained only three options: Gorkhaland statehood, Union Territory status, and an autonomous arrangement within West Bengal. That account should be attributed to Lama — the reporting cited here does not independently reproduce the final submission.
Sikkim leaders respond
Speaking at an Indrajatra event in Gangtok on Thursday, September 24, Chief Minister Tamang — also known as P.S. Golay — called a Sikkim–Darjeeling merger "impossible." He said his government would protect Sikkim's special constitutional status under Article 371F and warned that merger rumours could damage the relationship between the people of the two regions.
"This (merger) is an impossible thought."
— Prem Singh Tamang, Sikkim Chief Minister
The opposition Citizen Action Party–Sikkim has also said it opposes a merger, calling for more transparency about discussions concerning the Darjeeling hills and criticising Lama's advisory role with the Sikkim government. Former Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling has likewise opposed a merger, while backing the separate Gorkhaland demand.
SIBLAC has asked Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur to seek a fuller written explanation of the fourth option: why it appeared in the draft, what territory its authors intended it to cover, and why it was reportedly removed. The organisation said its concern was with any possible effect on Sikkim, not with Darjeeling's democratic aspirations.
Is a merger legally underway?
No. A discussion paper is not a boundary-change decision. Article 371F sets out special provisions for Sikkim, which its leaders have cited throughout this debate. Article 3 of the Constitution separately sets out the procedure through which Parliament can form states or alter state boundaries, including a presidential recommendation for a bill and referral to an affected state legislature for its views. Neither a circulated draft nor a political statement carries out that process.
For readers in Darjeeling and Sikkim, the distinction is between a debate over possible political solutions for the hills and an actual proposal to change Sikkim's boundaries. Lama denies proposing the latter; Sikkim's chief minister and opposition figures oppose it. It would be inaccurate to report that a Darjeeling–Sikkim merger has been approved or is scheduled.
Genre: Politics | District: Darjeeling / Sikkim
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Editorial note: Coverage of this dispute has varied in how it frames the original proposal — some accounts describe a four-point plan submitted to the Centre, while Lama says the fourth option appeared only in the preliminary draft and was removed before the August submission. Until the submitted document is available for independent verification, its contents should be attributed to Lama's account rather than stated as established fact. It's also worth noting that concerns over a possible Sikkim–Darjeeling merger, and rejections of it by Sikkim's leadership, have surfaced before; this is the latest round of a recurring dispute rather than an entirely new one.
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Sources:
- Lama rejects claim that Gorkhaland roadmap includes Sikkim — Sikkim Express
- Sikkim group flags territorial concerns over possible Gorkhaland settlement — India Today NE
- Merger impossible: Golay — Sikkim Express
- Sikkim CM rejects Darjeeling merger talk, says Article 371F non-negotiable — Assam Tribune
- Article 371F: Special provisions with respect to the State of Sikkim — Constitution of India
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