Peaceful polling in Sikkim, 67.95% turnout recorded in assembly elections

Voting for the 32 Assembly constituencies and the lone Lok Sabha seat began at 7 am.

Gangtok: Monks show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting their vote for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Gangtok, on April 19, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI

An estimated 67.95% of the 4.64 lakh voters exercised their franchise as polling for the 32-member Assembly passed off peacefully in Sikkim on April 19, officials said.

In the lone Lok Sabha seat of the State, the turnout is slightly over 68%.

The voter turnout of 67.95% was 10% lower than the 78.63% votes cast in the 2019 Assembly polls in the Himalayan state, officials said.

The voting percentage in the lone Lok Sabha seat stood at 68.06% as against 81.41% in 2019.

There are differences between turnouts of Lok Sabha and Assembly polls as a number of voters did not take part in both elections.

Though the polling ended at 5 pm, long queues of voters were seen at several polling booths at that time and they will be allowed to cast their votes as per the EC guidelines.

Officials said the final voting percentage may go up.

No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state, officials said.

As many as 13 companies of the central force, besides an adequate number of Sikkim police personnel were deployed to supervise the elections.

A total of 146 candidates, including Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, his predecessor Pawan Kumar Chamling, former India Football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, and Tamang’s wife Krishna Kumari Rai are in the fray for 32 Assembly constituencies.

Sitting Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba and SDF’s PD Rai are among 14 candidates in the lone Lok Sabha seat.

Tamang and Chamling are contesting from two assembly constituencies each.

The result of the assembly elections will be declared on June 2 while that of the Lok Sabha polls will be out on June 4.