Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, 2009

Sikkim Assembly Elections 2009
India
30 April 2009
All 32 Assembly Constituencies
Turnout 83.78%[1]

[2]

  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Pawan Kumar Chamling Nar Bahadur Bhandari
Party SDF INC
Alliance UPA UPA
Leader since 1994
Leader's seat Poklok-kamrang none
Last election 2004 2004
Seats before 31 1
Seats won 32 0
Seat change +1 -1
Popular vote 165,991 69,612
Percentage 65.91% 27.64%
Swing -5.18% +1.51%

Sikkim District Map
CM before election

Pawan Kumar Chamling
SDF

 CM-elect

Pawan Kumar Chamling
SDF

The Sikkim Legislative Assembly election of 2009 took place in April 2009, concurrently with the Indian general election, 2009. The elections were held in the state for all 32 legislative assembly seats along with third phase of Indian general elections, 2009 on 30 April 2009. The results were declared 5 May 2009. The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) further strengthened their majority in the Sikkim Assembly by winning all the seats. Incumbent Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling's Government returned for an unprecedented fourth consecutive term having won previous elections in 1994, 1999 and 2004.

Previous Assembly

In the Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, 2004, the SDF almost had a clean-sweep winning 31 of the 32 seats in the state. Congress was the only other party to win any seats, winning the Sangha seat that is reserved for the monks and nuns of Sikkim's many monasteries. P.K. Chamling led SDF had already formed the previous two 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),[3] and then again after the 1999 election, when they increased their tally to 24 seats.[4] Chamling's third term began on May 21, 2004 when he and his 11cabinate ministers were sworn in by the then Governor of Sikkim V. Rama Rao.[5]

Background

With the tenure of the Sikkim Assembly scheduled to expire on May 23, 2009, the Election Commission of India announced[6] on March 2, 2009 that the elections to the Sikkim Assembly would be held at the same time as the general election. Sikkim voted in the third phase of the 5-phase national election.

Though SDF had provided external support to Manmohan Singh's Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre since 2004, the SDF and Congress were the main political opponents in Sikkim. Ironically, the Congress was led in the state by Nar Bahadur Bhandari, mentor and former colleague of Chamling.

In this election UDF was formed by coalition of BJP, INC and few other parties, which was thrown into disarray with its constituents appearing to go separate.

Schedule of election

Poll Event Dates
Announcement & Issue of Press Note Monday, 02 Mar 2009
Issue of Notification Thursday, 02 Apr 2009
Last Date for filing Nominations Thursday, 09 Apr 2009
Scrutiny of Nominations Friday, 10 Apr 2009
Last date for withdrawal of Candidature Monday, 13 Apr 2009
Date of Poll Thursday, 30 Apr 2009
Counting of Votes on Saturday, 16 May 2009
Date of election being completed Saturday, 23 May 2009
Constituencies Polling on this day 32
Source: Election Commission of India[6]
Location of Sikkim in India

Parties and candidates

Party Type Code Party Name Number of
candidates		 Total
National Parties BJP Bharatiya Janata Party 11 57
CPM Communist Party of India (Marxist) 3
INC Indian National Congress 32
NCP Nationalist Congress Party 11
State Parties SDF Sikkim Democratic Front 32 32
Unrecognised or
Unregistered Parties		 SGPP Sikkim Gorkha Prajatantrik Party 27 53
SHRP Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad 20
SJEP Sikkim Jan-Ekta Party 6
Independents n/a Independents 25 25
Total: 167
Source: Election Commission of India[7]

Results

Government formation

The SDF went from strength to strength and this time won even the single seat that had eluded them in 2004. With a clean sweep of all 32 seats in the state, Chamling was sworn in for his fourth consecutive term as Chief Minister by Governor B.P. Singh at the Gangtok Raj Bhawan on May 20, 2009. This Government included Neeru Sewa and Tilu Gurung who became the first ever women Cabinet ministers in Sikkim.

Number of seats

Party Flag Seats Won Seats Change Popular Vote Vote Share Swing
Sikkim Democratic Front 32 +1 165,991 65.91% -5.18%
Indian National Congress 0 -1 69,612 27.64% +1.51%
 Source: Election Commission of India

Successful candidates

The members of sixth legislative assembly are listed below[8][9]

No. Constituency Member Party
1 Yoksam- Tashiding (BL) A P Sharma SDF
2 Yangthang B B Rai SDF
3 Maneybong Dentam B Dhungel SDF
4 Gyalshing Barnyak B K Rai SDF
5 Rinchenpong B S Panth SDF
6 Daramdin C B Karki SDF
7 Soreng Chakung C M Subba SDF
8 Salghari Zoom (SC) D B Thapa SDF
9 Barfung (BL) D L Lepcha SDF
10 Poklok Kamrang D N Bhutia SDF
11 Namchi Singhithang D N Thakarpa SDF
12 Melli K T Gyaltsen SDF
13 Namthang Rateypani L Lepcha SDF
14 Temi Namphing M B Dahal SDF
15 Rangang Yangang M Cintury SDF
16 Tumin Lingee (BL) Menlom Lepcha SDF
17 Khamdong Singtam N K Pradhan SDF
18 West Pendam (SC) Neru Sewa SDF
19 Rhenok P Gurung SDF
20 Chujachen P L Subba SDF
21 Gnathang Machong (BL) P S Tamang SDF
22 Namchwybong P T Bhutia SDF
23 Shyari (BL) Pawan Chamling SDF
24 Martam Rumtek (BL) R B Subba SDF
25 Upper Tadong S G Bhutia SDF
26 Arithang S G Lepcha SDF
27 Gangtok (BL) T D Rai SDF
28 Upper Burtuk T Gurung SDF
29 Kabi Lungchuk (BL) T Sherpa SDF
30 Djongu (BL) T T Bhutia SDF
31 Lachen Mangan (BL) T W Lepcha SDF
32 Sangha U T Gyatso SDF

See also

References

  1. ↑ "ECI Analysis - Assembly Election". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
  2. ↑ SDF is being marked as part of UPA for the purpose of this Infobox since they provide support to the UPA Government at the centre. However, they are not officially part of the UPA and did not fight the Sikkim election alongside the UPA"All my State wants is justice: Chamling". The Hindu. 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
  3. ↑ "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 2009-10-28.
  4. ↑ "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 2009-10-28.
  5. ↑ Dam, Marcus (2009-05-21). "Will strive to remove urban, rural disparities: Chamling". The Hindu. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
  6. 1 2 "General Elections to Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Sikkim" (PDF). Election Commission of India. 2 March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  7. ↑ http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/AE2009/Stats_SK_April2009.pdf
  8. ↑ Members of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly
  9. ↑ Telephone directory, Government of Sikkim
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