Chamling demands tribal status for Sikkim

Gangtok, Apr 15 (PTI) Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling today asked the Centre to grant tribal status to Sikkim in view of the "common ethnic and socio-cultural identity" of all indigenous communities in the state.

He was speaking at a function attended by President Pratibha Patil.

Chamling sought reservation of assembly seats for 'Limboos' and 'Tamangs' communities after their inclusion in the schedule tribes list seven years ago, besides raising the strength of the state legislature from the present 32 to 40 to "accommodate democratic aspirations of various communities".

The chief minister also asked the Centre to include the indigenous 'Bhutia' and 'Lepcha' languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.