Stage set for Sikkim Elections 2024: Over 4.6 lakh voters to cast vote for Assembly and Lok Sabha polls tomorrow

The stage is all set for the Sikkim Assembly Elections in which 147 candidates are in fray for the 32 Assembly constituencies. The Sikkim Election Commission is ready to conduct free and fair elections with elaborate security arrangements in place.

There are a total of 4,63,929 voters in Sikkim (as on 16/03/2024), out of which 2,32,381 are male voters and 2,31,545 are female voters. Under service voters there are a total of 2,469 male voters and 33 female voters, totaling to 2,502 voters. There are a total of 4,192 PwD voters all over the state and a total of 2,473 Senior Citizen electors above 85 years, as per Election Commission of India data.

There are a total of 573 polling stations with 88 polling stations fall under urban areas and 485 are in rural areas.

The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) is contesting in all the 32 seats, while the opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) is also contesting from all the constituencies. The BJP which snapped ties with the SKM recently is contesting in 31 seats, the Congress in 12 seats and the Citizens Action Party in 30 seats.

There are 8 Independent candidates in fray
2 from Yoksam-tashiding (BL) assembly constituency
1 from Yangthang assembly constituency
1 from Maneybung-Dentam
1 from Yalshing- Barnyak
1 from Melli
1 from West Pendam
1 from Upper Tadong

Chief Minister PS Tamang is contesting from the Soreng-Chakung seat and will also be in fray from the Rhenock seat.

The other key candidates in the fray are former 5-time Chief Minister Pawan Chamling fray from the Poklok-Kamrang and Namcheybung Assembly constituencies.

In 2019 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, Chamling had won from both Poklok-Kamrang and Namchi-Singhithang constituencies, so he relinquished Poklok-Kamrang seat. In the by-election, SKM president and incumbent Chief Minister, Prem Singh Tamang won from the Poklok-Kamrang constituency.

Footballer-turned-politician Bhaichung Bhutia who had joined the SDF before the elections is contesting from the Barfung Assembly constituency.

Citizens Action Party chief Ganesh Kumar Rai is in fray from the Melli and Chujachen Assembly constituencies.

https://ceosikkim.nic.in/UploadedFiles/NewsTender/schedule%20of%20General%20Election.pdf

At present the SKM has 19 MLAs in the Assembly followed by the BJP with 8, 3 Independents and 1 MLA from the SDF.

Polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the seat will also be held simultaneously with the Assembly Elections tomorrow.

14 candidates are in the fray from the lone Lok Sabha seat in Sikkim. Among these 14 candidates are incumbent MP Indra Hang Subba of SKM, opposition SDF’s PD Rai, Congress’s Gopal Chettri, CAP’s Bharat Basnett, and DC Nepal of BJP.