Press Release
Press Release issued from the Office of the Legal Consultant, Chief Minister’s Office
Information & Public Relations Department
A Proud Moment for Sikkim
In the span of just one week, the small yet vibrant state of Sikkim had the rare honour of hosting two of the highest offices in the country , the Executive represented by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and the Judiciary represented by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Justice Mr. Surya Kant.
A National Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education was held in Gangtok on 1st and 2nd May 2026. The conclave featured two major conferences: Technology for Transformation of the Indian Judiciary, organised by the High Court of Sikkim and the Conference of Commonwealth Judicial Educators in the Digital Age, organised by the Sikkim Judicial Academy under the aegis of the High Court of Sikkim in association with the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA).
The inaugural session, held on 1st May 2026 at Chintan Bhawan was graced by distinguished dignitaries including the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Justice Mr. Surya Kant , Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim Shri Prem Singh Tamang Golay , Hon’ble Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Seychelles Justice Mr. Rony James Govinden , Hon’ble Judges of Supreme Court of India Hon’ble Justice Mr. J. K. Maheswari, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Prashant Kumar Mishra, Hon’ble Justice Mr.Ujjal Bhuyan, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Sarasa Venkatanarayana Bhatti, Hon’ble Justice Mr.Satish C. Sharma, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Sandeep Mehta, Hon’ble Justice Mr. N. Kotiswar Singh, Hon’ble Justice Mr. R. Mahadevan, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vijay Bishnoi, Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz, Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, Mr. R Venkataramani Attorney General of India, Chief Justice of Sikkim Hon’ble Mr. Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque, Hon’ble Chief Justices of various High Courts of India, Hon’ble Justice Mrs. Meenakshi Madan Rai, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Bhaskar Raj Pradhan and Judges of various High Courts of India, Mr. Basava Prabhu S. Patil Advocate General of Sikkim, Mr. Aarohi Bhalla Additional Advocate General of Sikkim, Mr. V. B. Pathak Chief Administrator cum Cabinet Secretary of Sikkim, Mr. R. Telang Chief Secretary to the Government of Sikkim, Mr. Akshay Sachdeva DIG of Sikkim, Prof. Dr. S. Sivakumar President Commonwealth Legal Education Association and dignitaries from CLEA,Shri Sunil Sarogi OSD to Hon’ble Chief Minister , Standing Counsel for the State Shri Sameer Abhyankar,
Mr. Tashi Rapten Barfungpa, President BAR Association of Sikkim (High Court and Subordinate Courts), Mr. Zangpo Sherpa Additional Advocate General of Sikkim, Judicial Officers ,BAR members, along with legal luminaries, academicians and senior officials from across jurisdictions.
The session commenced with opening remarks by Hon’ble Justice Mr. Bhaskar Raj Pradhan, followed by an address from the Advocate General of Sikkim, Mr. Basava Prabhu S. Patil. The presidential address was delivered by Hon’ble Chief Justice of Sikkim , Justice Mr. A. Muhamed Mustaque, who expressed gratitude to the Government of Sikkim for its support. Felicitation and special addresses were delivered by distinguished dignitaries, culminating in the keynote address by Hon’ble Justice Mr. J.K. Maheshwari.
In his address, the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, who was the Guest of Honor for the event , expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India for selecting Sikkim as the venue for the conclave. He highlighted that the conclave had brought national attention to the state and would contribute to its growth and development. He also commended the leadership of Chief Justice of Sikkim, Justice Mr. A. Muhamed Mustaque, for organizing the event with excellence and placing Sikkim prominently on the national stage just within a few months of assuming his office . He also congratulated Hon’ble Justice Mrs. Meenakshi Madan Rai and Hon’ble Justice Mr. Bhaskar Raj Pradhan for their contribution towards this achievement.
A landmark moment followed with the formal inauguration of the conference and the declaration of Sikkim as the first paperless judiciary in the country by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India. In his inaugural address, he emphasised the transformative role of digital reforms in strengthening the rule of law and enhancing judicial integrity. He noted that technology is breaking geographic and financial barriers, enabling litigants to track cases, engage counsel, and participate in proceedings in real time , thereby fostering transparency, efficiency and inclusivity. He congratulated the judiciary and the Government of Sikkim, led by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, for this forward-looking initiative.
A state dinner was also hosted by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, for the distinguished guests. The evening began with an illustrious showcase of Sikkim’s rich cultural heritage, featuring traditional dance and music performances that beautifully reflected the state’s vibrant local traditions.
The conferences were conducted simultaneously at Chintan Bhawan and Saman Bhawan over the two days. The valedictory session on 2nd May 2026 featured a welcome address by Mr. Tashi Rapten Barfungpa, observations by Prof. (Dr.) S. Sivakumar, reflections by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan and a special address by Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The valedictory address was delivered by the Hon’ble Governor of Sikkim, Shri Om Prakash Mathur, followed by the vote of thanks by Mrs. Sonam Denka Wangdi.
This exceptional occasion reflects the growing importance of Sikkim on the national stage. It underscores the confidence placed in the state’s governance, administrative efficiency and institutional strength. The proactive efforts of the Hon’ble Chief Minister in ensuring seamless coordination and gracious hospitality were evident throughout.
From meticulous planning to impeccable execution, Sikkim truly put its best foot forward. This is a moment of immense pride , evident as to how far the state has come and the stature it continues to
In the span of just one week, the small yet vibrant state of Sikkim had the rare honour of hosting two of the highest offices in the country , the Executive represented by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and the Judiciary represented by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Justice Mr. Surya Kant.
A National Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education was held in Gangtok on 1st and 2nd May 2026. The conclave featured two major conferences: Technology for Transformation of the Indian Judiciary, organised by the High Court of Sikkim and the Conference of Commonwealth Judicial Educators in the Digital Age, organised by the Sikkim Judicial Academy under the aegis of the High Court of Sikkim in association with the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA).
The inaugural session, held on 1st May 2026 at Chintan Bhawan was graced by distinguished dignitaries including the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Justice Mr. Surya Kant , Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim Shri Prem Singh Tamang Golay , Hon’ble Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Seychelles Justice Mr. Rony James Govinden , Hon’ble Judges of Supreme Court of India Hon’ble Justice Mr. J. K. Maheswari, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Prashant Kumar Mishra, Hon’ble Justice Mr.Ujjal Bhuyan, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Sarasa Venkatanarayana Bhatti, Hon’ble Justice Mr.Satish C. Sharma, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Sandeep Mehta, Hon’ble Justice Mr. N. Kotiswar Singh, Hon’ble Justice Mr. R. Mahadevan, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vijay Bishnoi, Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz, Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, Mr. R Venkataramani Attorney General of India, Chief Justice of Sikkim Hon’ble Mr. Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque, Hon’ble Chief Justices of various High Courts of India, Hon’ble Justice Mrs. Meenakshi Madan Rai, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Bhaskar Raj Pradhan and Judges of various High Courts of India, Mr. Basava Prabhu S. Patil Advocate General of Sikkim, Mr. Aarohi Bhalla Additional Advocate General of Sikkim, Mr. V. B. Pathak Chief Administrator cum Cabinet Secretary of Sikkim, Mr. R. Telang Chief Secretary to the Government of Sikkim, Mr. Akshay Sachdeva DIG of Sikkim, Prof. Dr. S. Sivakumar President Commonwealth Legal Education Association and dignitaries from CLEA,Shri Sunil Sarogi OSD to Hon’ble Chief Minister , Standing Counsel for the State Shri Sameer Abhyankar,
Mr. Tashi Rapten Barfungpa, President BAR Association of Sikkim (High Court and Subordinate Courts), Mr. Zangpo Sherpa Additional Advocate General of Sikkim, Judicial Officers ,BAR members, along with legal luminaries, academicians and senior officials from across jurisdictions.
The session commenced with opening remarks by Hon’ble Justice Mr. Bhaskar Raj Pradhan, followed by an address from the Advocate General of Sikkim, Mr. Basava Prabhu S. Patil. The presidential address was delivered by Hon’ble Chief Justice of Sikkim , Justice Mr. A. Muhamed Mustaque, who expressed gratitude to the Government of Sikkim for its support. Felicitation and special addresses were delivered by distinguished dignitaries, culminating in the keynote address by Hon’ble Justice Mr. J.K. Maheshwari.
In his address, the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, who was the Guest of Honor for the event , expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India for selecting Sikkim as the venue for the conclave. He highlighted that the conclave had brought national attention to the state and would contribute to its growth and development. He also commended the leadership of Chief Justice of Sikkim, Justice Mr. A. Muhamed Mustaque, for organizing the event with excellence and placing Sikkim prominently on the national stage just within a few months of assuming his office . He also congratulated Hon’ble Justice Mrs. Meenakshi Madan Rai and Hon’ble Justice Mr. Bhaskar Raj Pradhan for their contribution towards this achievement.
A landmark moment followed with the formal inauguration of the conference and the declaration of Sikkim as the first paperless judiciary in the country by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India. In his inaugural address, he emphasised the transformative role of digital reforms in strengthening the rule of law and enhancing judicial integrity. He noted that technology is breaking geographic and financial barriers, enabling litigants to track cases, engage counsel, and participate in proceedings in real time , thereby fostering transparency, efficiency and inclusivity. He congratulated the judiciary and the Government of Sikkim, led by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, for this forward-looking initiative.
A state dinner was also hosted by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, for the distinguished guests. The evening began with an illustrious showcase of Sikkim’s rich cultural heritage, featuring traditional dance and music performances that beautifully reflected the state’s vibrant local traditions.
The conferences were conducted simultaneously at Chintan Bhawan and Saman Bhawan over the two days. The valedictory session on 2nd May 2026 featured a welcome address by Mr. Tashi Rapten Barfungpa, observations by Prof. (Dr.) S. Sivakumar, reflections by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan and a special address by Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The valedictory address was delivered by the Hon’ble Governor of Sikkim, Shri Om Prakash Mathur, followed by the vote of thanks by Mrs. Sonam Denka Wangdi.
This exceptional occasion reflects the growing importance of Sikkim on the national stage. It underscores the confidence placed in the state’s governance, administrative efficiency and institutional strength. The proactive efforts of the Hon’ble Chief Minister in ensuring seamless coordination and gracious hospitality were evident throughout.
From meticulous planning to impeccable execution, Sikkim truly put its best foot forward. This is a moment of immense pride , evident as to how far the state has come and the stature it continues to
