Land and Law of Sikkim by Manjushree Pathak

Sikkim, the youngest state of the Un on of India, is characterized by a wholly mountainous terrain. The state encompasses the Lesser Himalaya, Greater Himalaya, and Tethys Himalaya. The mountains rise in elevation northward, and that portion of the state is deeply cut into escarpments, particularly evident in the Lachen and Lachung valleys. The northern, eastern, and western portions of the state are constituted of hard, massive gneiss rocks, while the central and southern portions are formed of comparatively thinner, slate, and half-schistose rocks. The early history of Sikkim was first recorded in 1642, after the formation of the Namgyal dynasty. It primarily followed the Tibetan Legalistic ideology and administrative practices. Historically, Sikkim’s origins can be traced back to the interactions between the indigenous Leaches and early Tibetan settlers. Initially, Sikkim was a sovereign monarchy, later becoming a protectorate of India before eventually merging with India in 1975. Here, endeavour has been made to give a clear picture of its early history, its relation with neighbouring countries ultimately annexation with the Union of India, its land system, land survey, its utility and constitutional safeguard and the steps taken by both the Union and the State Government of its overall development.

ISBN: 9789359990002