India is gearing up for the Lok Sabha election 2024 as the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the poll schedule on Saturday, March 16.
Assembly polls will be held in four states --Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh-- alongside the Lok Sabha elections.
The voting for the 32-member Sikkim assembly will be held in a single phase, the Election Commission announced.
The polling will take place on April 19 and the counting of the votes will take place on June 2, said the chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar. The term of the current assembly elected in 2019 will expire on June 2, 2024.
Currently, Sikkim is ruled by the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), with Prem Singh Tamang serving as the Chief Minister of the northeastern state.
In the Sikkim Assembly elections 2019, SKM won 17 out of 32 seats in the state, ending the 25-year rule of Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF). SDF managed to get only 15 seats.
A few months after the Assembly elections, in August 2019, 10 MLAs left the Sikkim Democratic Front and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while two others moved to the ruling SKM, leaving Chamling as the only MLA of his party.
In the Sikkim Assembly elections 2024, Tamang's Sikkim Krantikari Morcha will be looking forward to a second consecutive term, while Chamling is eyeing to get back to power.
Sikkim Assembly elections 2024: Date of voting
Voting for the Assembly elections in Sikkim will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections. In 2019, polling in the state was held on April 11, while counting of votes took place on May 23. This year, the voting will happen on April 19.
Sikkim Assembly elections 2024: Total seats
There are 32 Assembly constituencies in Sikkim, out of which 17 are needed for the majority mark. Last time, the state witnessed 81.43% voter turnout.
Sikkim Assembly elections 2024: Key candidates
Earlier this week, the Sikkim Democratic Front released a list of candidates for six Assembly seats. The party fielded former CM Pawan Kumar Chamling from Namchi-Singhithang. Besides him, former minister Hissey Lachungpa has been nominated from Lachen-Mangan, Gnawong Chopel Lepcha from Kabi-Lungchok and Sonam Gyatso Lepcha from Dzongu.
Also, the main Opposition party has nominated Ashish Rai from the Arithang seat and Norzang Lepcha from Tumin Lingee.
On the other side, the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha is yet to finalise its candidates for the polls. A few days ago, the party in a statement noted that fake candidate lists are being circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp.
"Sikkim Krantikari Morcha party has not issued any official candidate list, as our parliamentary board is yet to be formed," SKM said.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
First Published: Mar 16, 2024 5:26 PM IST
Note To Readers
Disclosure: The article has been updated with the revised vote counting date for state assembly polls in Sikkim basis the revised announcement by the Election Commission of India on Sunday.
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