Sikkim Assembly elections on April 11 ..State to Vote Simultaneously in Assembly and Lok Sabha Polls on April 11

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, 11 Mar 2019, Gangtok: The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced that the Assembly polls in Sikkim and the voting for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state would take place simultaneously on April 11, the first phase of the seven-phase nationwide electoral exercise.

This is the fourth time in succession that the Sikkim Assembly elections are being held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections. The people of the Himalayan state, which merged with India in 1975, will be voting to elect its 10th Assembly. The term of the 32-member present Assembly expires on May 27.

According to the state election department, a total of 4,23,167 voters -- 2,16,133 males, 2,07,032 females and two transgender -- can exercise their franchise this time. The vast majority of the voters are in the age group of 18-45.

The notifications of the elections will be issued on March 18 and nominations can be filed from that day to March 25. The scrutiny of papers will take place on March 26 and the last date for the withdrawal of the nominations is March 28.

The counting will take place on May 23.

P.D. Rai, a senior leader of the Sikkim Democratic Front and Lok Sabha member, said his party hoped all sections of the society would cooperate with the Election Commission to hold free and fair polls.

The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha and the Hamro Sikkim Party have said they will publish election manifestoes and list of candidates in a few days. The main fight is expected to be between the ruling SDF and the SKM..