2014 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election

2014 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election
← 2009 12 April 2014 2019 →
All 32 seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly
17 seats needed for a majority
Turnout80.97% Decrease 2.91%[1]
  Majority party Minority party
 
PawanKumarChamling.jpg
Prem Singh Tamang.jpg
Leader Pawan Kumar Chamling Prem Singh Tamang
Party SDF SKM
Leader since 1994 2014
Leader's seat Namchi-Singhithang, Rangang-Yangang Upper Burtuk, Namthang-Rateypani (lost)
Last election 32 New
Seats won 22 10
Seat change Decrease 10 New
Popular vote 169,986[2] 126,024[2]
Percentage 55.0%[2] 40.8%[2]
Swing Decrease 10.9% New
Chief Minister before election

Pawan Chamling
SDF

Elected Chief Minister

Pawan Chamling
SDF

The election was held on 12 April 2014 for 9th assembly of Sikkim, the northeastern state of India. It elected 32 members of Sikkim Legislative Assembly.[3][4]

Background

Pawan Chamling led SDF had already formed the previous four governments in Sikkim having first formed the government after the 1994 election, when they won 19 seats within a year of the party being formed,[5] and then again after the 1999 election, when they increased their tally to 24 seats.[6] Chamling's third term began on 21 May 2004 after increasing his tally to 31.[7][8] In the 2009 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, the SDF had a clean-sweep winning all 32 seats in the state assembly and Chamling sworn in as a Chief Minister fourth times on 20 May 2009. SDF is contesting for the fifth consecutive term.[9]

Campaign and issues

The Buddhist minority demanded Karmapa to contest from Rumtek monastery. Nepali community in Sikkim demanded tribal status.[9]

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) was formed by Prem Singh Tamang in February 2013. Prem Singh Tamang alias P S Golay left Chamling's SDF in September 2014 and joined SKM. SKM contested from all 32 seats.[9][10]

Schedule of election

Poll Event Dates
Announcement & Issue of Press Note 5 March 2014
Issue of Notification 19 March 2014
Last Date for filing Nominations 26 March 2014
Scrutiny of Nominations 27 March 2014
Last date for withdrawal of Candidature 29 March 2014
Date of Poll 12 April 2014
Counting of Votes on 16 May 2014
Date before which election shall be completed 20 May 2014
Constituencies Polling on this day 32
Source: Election Commission of India[3]

Polling

There were 370,731 eligible voters including 179,650 female voters. 538 polling stations were set up by election commission which were guarded by 3500 policemen and 15 companies of the West Bengal Police. There are two seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), 12 for Bhutia-Lepcha (BL) communities out of 32 seats. One seat (Sangha) is reserved for 2900 monks of over 100 monasteries.[9]

SKM leader Golay contested from Namthang-Rateypani seat against incumbent SDF minister Tilu Gurung.[9]

SDF leader and incumbent chief minister Chamling contested from two places, Namchi-Singhithang and Rangang-Yangang.[9]

Voter turnout

Total 80.97% of electorate including 80.57% males and 81.40% females cast their vote.[1]

Voter turnout at each constituency was as below:[1]

No. Constituency Voter turnout %
1 Yoksam- Tashiding (BL) 84.66
2 Yangthang 82.18
3 Maneybong Dentam 83.59
4 Gyalshing Barnyak 82.19
5 Rinchenpong 84.73
6 Daramdin 82.34
7 Soreng Chakung 83.52
8 Salghari Zoom (SC) 82.61
9 Barfung (BL) 83.37
10 Poklok Kamrang 84.16
11 Namchi Singhithang 76.87
12 Melli 82.16
13 Namthang Rateypani 81.64
14 Temi Namphing 81.33
15 Rangang Yangang 82.53
16 Tumin Lingee (BL) 82.66
17 Khamdong Singtam 82.32
18 West Pendam (SC) 81.15
19 Rhenok 82.02
20 Chujachen 80.44
21 Gnathang Machong (BL) 81.40
22 Namchwybong 82.42
23 Shyari (BL) 78.14
24 Martam Rumtek (BL) 80.23
25 Upper Tadong 73.54
26 Arithang 71.14
27 Gangtok (BL) 65.94
28 Upper Burtuk 78.77
29 Kabi Lungchuk (BL) 80.37
30 Djongu (BL) 86.49
31 Lachen Mangan (BL) 82.72
32 Sangha 74.62
Total 80.97

Parties and candidates

Party Type Code Party Name Number of
candidates 		Total
National Parties BJP Bharatiya Janata Party 13 45
INC Indian National Congress 32
State registered and recognized parties SDF Sikkim Democratic Front 32 32
State registered and unrecognised parties TMC Trinamool Congress 7 39
SKM Sikkim Krantikari Morcha 32
Independents n/a Independents 5 5
Total: 121
Source:[9]

Results

Votes were counted and results were declared on 16 May 2014. SDF lost 10 seats to SKM resulting in formation of opposition in the assembly which did not exist in previous assembly.

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Sikkim Democratic Front169,98655.0322–10
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha126,02440.8010New
Indian National Congress4,3901.4200
Bharatiya Janata Party2,2080.7100
Trinamool Congress5860.1900
Independents1,2270.4000
None of the above4,4601.44––
Total308,881100.00320
Valid votes308,88199.60
Invalid/blank votes1,2540.40
Total votes310,135100.00
Registered voters/turnout370,77083.65
Source: CEO Sikkim

Results by constituency

  • Winner, runner-up, voter turnout, and victory margin in every constituency[11][12][13][14]
Assembly Constituency Turnout Winner Runner Up Margin
#k Names % Candidate Party Votes % Candidate Party Votes %
1 Yoksam–Tashiding 86.02% Sonam Dadul Bhutia SDF 6,777 68.33% Thutop Bhutia SKM 2,559 25.8% 4,218
2 Yangthang 84.48% Chandra Maya Limboo (Subba) SDF 5,211 56.% Kharka Bahadur Subba SKM 3,572 38.39% 1,639
3 Maneybong–Dentam 85.79% Narendra Kumar Subba SDF 7,737 72.43% Birbal Tamling SKM 2,519 23.58% 5,218
4 Gyalshing–Barnyak 85.06% Sher Bahadur Subedi SDF 4,529 50.86% Lok Nath Sharma SKM 3,890 43.68% 639
5 Rinchenpong 85.86% Karma Sonam Lepcha SDF 7,347 68.37% Pema Kinzang Bhutia SKM 2,891 26.9% 4,456
6 Daramdin 84.65% Danorbu Sherpa SDF 6,250 54.89% Mingma Narbu Sherpa SKM 4,646 40.8% 1,604
7 Soreng–Chakung 85.47% Ram Bahadur Subba SDF 6,596 55.4% Bharati Sharma SKM 4,667 39.2% 1,929
8 Salghari–Zoom 83.7% Arjun Kumar Ghatani SDF 4,250 52.63% Bhanu Pratap Rasaily SKM 3,471 42.98% 779
9 Barfung 84.73% Dorjee Dazom Bhutia SDF 6,639 63.79% Pema Wangyal Bhutia SKM 3,460 33.24% 3,179
10 Poklok–Kamrang 86.18% Kedar Nath Rai SDF 7,996 68.85% Bhoj Raj Rai SKM 3,325 28.63% 4,671
11 Namchi–Singhithang 79.87% Pawan Kumar Chamling SDF 4,774 55.08% Milan Rai SKM 3,690 42.57% 1,084
12 Melli 84.57% Tulshi Devi Rai SDF 7,655 67.32% Prem Bahadur Karki SKM 3,406 29.95% 4,249
13 Namthang–Rateypani 83.53% Tilu Gurung SDF 5,947 53.84% Prem Singh Tamang SKM 4,792 43.38% 1,155
14 Temi–Namphing 83.75% Garjaman Gurung SDF 5,657 55.38% Lalit Sharma SKM 4,268 41.78% 1,389
15 Rangang–Yangang 84.48% Pawan Kumar Chamling SDF 6,343 63.84% Bikash Basnet SKM 3,201 32.22% 3,142
16 Tumin–Lingee 84.88% Ugyen Tshering Gyatso Bhutia SDF 7,191 62.26% Nidup Tshering Lepcha SKM 3,999 34.62% 3,192
17 Khamdong–Singtam 83.92% Somnath Poudyal SDF 4,718 49.13% Dr. Mani Kumar Sharma SKM 4,448 46.31% 270
18 West Pendam 82.63% Gopal Baraily SKM 5,382 52.45% K. K. Thatal SDF 4,462 43.49% 920
19 Rhenock 84.47% Hemendra Adhikari SKM 6,415 50.05% Bhim Prasad Dhungel SDF 5,461 42.6% 954
20 Chujachen 83.09% Bikram Pradhan SDF 7,836 60.98% Kharga Bahadur Gurung SKM 4,425 34.44% 3,411
21 Gnathang–Machong 85.51% Dorjee Tshering Lepcha SDF 5,017 58.21% Sonam Dorjee SKM 3,101 35.98% 1,916
22 Namchaybong 85.19% Bek Bahadur Rai SDF 5,577 50.72% Dilip Rai SKM 4,955 45.07% 622
23 Shyari 80.76% Kunga Nima Lepcha SKM 5,324 52.23% Karma Tempo Namgyal Gyaltsen SDF 4,588 45.01% 736
24 Martam–Rumtek 83.06% Mechung Bhutia SKM 6,055 50.24% Menlom Lepcha SDF 5,576 46.26% 479
25 Upper Tadong 76.6% Timothy William Basnett SKM 3,333 48.61% Bhasker Basnett SDF 3,211 46.83% 122
26 Arithang 73.22% Shyam Pradhan SKM 4,026 57.92% Udai Lama SDF 2,420 34.82% 1,606
27 Gangtok 68.17% Pintso Chopel SKM 4,208 61.28% Hishey Lachungpa SDF 2,317 33.74% 1,891
28 Upper Burtuk 81.42% Prem Singh Tamang SKM 5,272 50.73% D. R. Thapa SDF 4,699 45.21% 573
29 Kabi–Lungchok 84.83% Ugen Nedup Bhutia SKM 4,615 49.18% Thenlay Tshering Bhutia SDF 4,489 47.84% 126
30 Djongu 88.81% Sonam Gyatso Lepcha SDF 4,618 63.67% Dawa Tshering Lepcha SKM 2,443 33.68% 2,175
31 Lachen–Mangan 85.13% Tshering Wangdi Lepcha SDF 3,127 53.43% Samdup Lepcha SKM 2,570 43.92% 557
32 Sangha 75.69% Sonam Lama SKM 1,096 49.86% Palden Lachungpa SDF 971 44.18% 125

Government formation

SDF led by Chamling secured majority by winning 22 out of 32 seats. SKM won the rest ten seats.

Pawan Kumar Chamling was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Sikkim for the fifth time on 21 May 2014 by Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil, the Governor of Sikkim. He became the chief minister fifth time, a record previously held by Jyoti Basu who ruled West Bengal from 1977 to 2000.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Sikkim Legislative Assembly election 2014 voter turnout" (PDF). Chief Election Officer, Sikkim. April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d "Partywise assembly election result status". ECI. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  3. ^ a b "ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA GENERAL ELECTIONS 2014 ASSEMBLY CONSTITUENCIES IN SIKKIM" (PDF). Election Commission Of India Portal, Page 57.
  4. ^ "SIKKIM LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY". legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in.
  5. ^ "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1994 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SIKKIM" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  6. ^ "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1999 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SIKKIM" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  7. ^ Dam, Marcus (21 May 2009). "Will strive to remove urban, rural disparities: Chamling". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 July 2004. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  8. ^ "All my State wants is justice: Chamling". The Hindu. 20 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "Sikkim Assembly polls LIVE: Pawan Chamling's fate hangs in balance as voting begins". Zee news. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  10. ^ "Why Sikkim is more excited about assembly polls than Lok Sabha elections?". DNA. 2 April 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Sikkim Result Status". ECI. p. 1. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  12. ^ "Sikkim Result Status". ECI. p. 2. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  13. ^ "Sikkim Result Status". ECI. p. 3. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  14. ^ "Sikkim Result Status". ECI. p. 4. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  15. ^ "Chamling sworn in as Sikkim CM for record fifth time". The Indian Express. Gangtok. Press Trust of India. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.