NEW DELHI: The Lower House of the Indian Parliament voted 299 to 11 today [April 23] to annex Sikkim as an Indian province and end the 300-year-old monarchy there. The only opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment ... came from the Marxist Communists.

They favoured ending the reign of Chogyal (ruler) ... but said the Himalayan State should have been allowed to retain its internal autonomy. ... Opening the debate, Deputy Leader of the Marxists Samar Mukherjee accused the Indian Government of `absorbing Sikkim`.

He said the action would not only create `misgivings among the small neighbouring countries` but would also have international repercussions. News agencies [Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from Washington,] with no hope of more military aid for the Saigon regime, and evacuation plans well advanced, the United States was today [April 23] prepared for the imminent fall of Saigon. The Provisional Revolutionary Government ... rejected Saigon`s latest offer of new peace negotiations until a new Government was formed.

... As hope for American support was lost completely British and West German Embassies announced they were packing up.