Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, 2014

Sikkim Legislative Assembly election 2014

12 April 2014
All 32 Assembly Constituencies 17 by seats needed for a majority
Turnout	80.97%[1]
Majority party Minority party   Leader Pawan Kumar Chamling Prem Singh Tamang alias P S Golay Party SDF SKM Leader since 1994 2014 Leader's seat Namchi-Singhithang and Rangang-Yangang Namthang-Rateypani (lost) and Upper Burtuk Last election - Seats before all 32 - Seats won 22 10 Seat change 10 10 Popular vote 169986[2] 126024[2] Percentage 55%[2] 40.8%[2]
Constituencies of Sikkim
Chief Minister of Sikkim before election Pawan Chamling SDF Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Chamling SDF

The election was held on 12 April 2014 for 7th 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 May 21, 2004 after increasing his telly to 31.^[7][8] In the Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, 2009, 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 May 20, 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

Polling

There were 370,731eligible voters including 1,79,650 female voters. 538 polling stations were set up by election commission which were guarded by 3500 policemens and 15 companies of West Bengal Police. There are two seats reserved for scheduled castes (SC), 12 for Bhutia and Lepcha (BL) communities out of 32 seats. One Sangha seat 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]

Parties and candidates

Result

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

Summary:^[2]

 Summary of results of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, 2014

	Political Party	Flag	Candidates	Number of Votes	Seats Won	Net Change in seats	% of Votes	Change in % of vote
	SDF		32	169983	22	10	55.0%
	SKM		32	126024	10	10	40.8%	-
	INC		32	4390	0	0	1.4%
	BJP		13	2208	0	0	0.7%
	Trinamool Congress		7	586	0	0	0.2%	-
	Independent		5	1227	0	0	0.4
	NOTA		-	4460	-	-	1.4%	-
			Total	478,861	Turnout	-	Voters	-

The candidates elected to seventh legislative assembly are listed below:^{[11][12][13][14]}

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 May 21, 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

• Sikkim Legislative Assembly

References