2009 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election

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2009 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election
Flag of India.svg
  2004 30 April 2009 2014  

All 32 seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly
17 seats needed for a majority
Turnout83.78% [1]
 Majority partyMinority party
  Indian Election Symbol Umberlla.png Hand INC.svg
Leader Pawan Kumar Chamling Nar Bahadur Bhandari
Party SDF INC
Alliance UPA UPA
Leader since1994
Leader's seat Poklok–Kamrang Soreng–Chakung, Tumin–Lingee (both lost)
Last election311
Seats won320
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote165,99169,612
Percentage65.91%27.64%
SwingDecrease2.svg 5.18%Increase2.svg 1.51%

2009 Sikkim Legislative Assembly Election Result Map.svg

Chief Minister before election

Pawan Kumar Chamling
SDF

Elected Chief Minister

Pawan Kumar Chamling
SDF

The Sikkim Legislative Assembly election of 2009 took place in April 2009, concurrently with the 2009 Indian general election. The elections were held in the state for all 32 legislative assembly seats along with the third phase of 2009 Indian general elections on 30 April 2009. The results were declared on 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.

Contents

Previous Assembly

In the 2004 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, 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), [2] and then again after the 1999 election, when they increased their tally to 24 seats. [3] 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. [4]

Background

With the tenure of the Sikkim Assembly scheduled to expire on 23 May 23, 2009, the Election Commission of India announced [5] on 2 March 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 EventDates
Announcement & Issue of Press NoteMonday, 02 Mar 2009
Issue of NotificationThursday, 02 Apr 2009
Last Date for filing NominationsThursday, 09 Apr 2009
Scrutiny of NominationsFriday, 10 Apr 2009
Last date for withdrawal of CandidatureMonday, 13 Apr 2009
Date of PollThursday, 30 Apr 2009
Counting of Votes onSaturday, 16 May 2009
Date of election being completedSaturday, 23 May 2009
Constituencies Polling on this day32
Source: Election Commission of India [5]
Location of Sikkim in India Sikkim in India.png
Location of Sikkim in India

Parties Contested

Party TypeCodeParty NameNumber of
candidates
Total
National PartiesBJP Bharatiya Janata Party 1157
CPM Communist Party of India (Marxist) 3
INC Indian National Congress 32
NCP Nationalist Congress Party 11
State PartiesSDF Sikkim Democratic Front 3232
Unrecognised or
Unregistered Parties
SGPPSikkim Gorkha Prajatantrik Party2753
SHRPSikkim Himali Rajya Parishad20
SJEPSikkim Jan-Ekta Party6
Independentsn/aIndependents2525
Total:167
Source: Election Commission of India [6]

Results

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.

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Sikkim Democratic Front 165,99165.9132+1
Indian National Congress 69,61227.640–1
Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad 5,5162.1900
Sikkim Gorkha Prajatantrik Party2,9091.160New
Bharatiya Janata Party 1,9660.7800
Nationalist Congress Party 1,0650.420New
Sikkim Jan-Ekta Party4970.200New
Communist Party of India (Marxist) 2720.1100
Independents4,0231.6000
Total251,851100.00320
Valid votes251,85199.65
Invalid/blank votes8850.35
Total votes252,736100.00
Registered voters/turnout300,58484.08
Source: CEO Sikkim

Results by constituency

  • Winner, runner-up, voter turnout, and victory margin in every constituency [7]
Assembly ConstituencyTurnoutWinnerRunner UpMargin
#kNames%CandidatePartyVotes%CandidatePartyVotes%
1 Yoksam–Tashiding 86.94%Dawcho Lepcha SDF 5,90971.75%Aden Tshering Lepcha INC 1,66620.23%4,243
2 Yangthang 85.99%Prem Lall Subba SDF 5,77073.19%Depan Hang Limbu INC 1,54519.6%4,225
3 Maneybong–Dentam 86.75%Chandra Maya Subba SDF 6,25271.99%Laxuman Gurung INC 1,89921.87%4,353
4 Gyalshing–Barnyak 84.32%Man Bahadur Dahal SDF 4,96768.13%Youa Raj Rai INC 1,55721.36%3,410
5 Rinchenpong 86.96%Dawa Norbu Takarpa SDF 6,43872.69%Pema Kinzang Bhutia INC 2,14524.22%4,293
6 Daramdin 84.83%Tenzi Sherpa SDF 6,50768.97%Pem Nuri Sherpa INC 1,80719.15%4,700
7 Soreng–Chakung 84.62% Ram Bahadur Subba SDF 6,49766.5% Nar Bahadur Bhandari INC 2,37824.34%4,119
8 Salghari–Zoom 84.62% Madan Cintury SDF 4,43765.14%Janga Bir Darnal INC 2,13931.4%2,298
9 Barfung 85.78%Sonam Gyatso Bhutia SDF 6,04970.35%Lobzang Bhutia INC 2,19725.55%3,852
10 Poklok–Kamrang 86.32% Pawan Kumar Chamling SDF 7,37980.68%Purna Kumari Rai INC 1,42315.56%5,956
11 Namchi–Singhithang 76.84% Pawan Kumar Chamling SDF 5,65380.97%Khush Bahadur Rai INC 1,00914.45%4,644
12 Melli 83.83% Tulshi Devi Rai SDF 6,30767.48%Dil Kri. Chhetri INC 2,45426.25%3,853
13 Namthang–Rateypani 82.7%Tilu Gurung SDF 5,98865.76%Suk Bahadur Tamang INC 2,77730.5%3,211
14 Temi–Namphing 84.96% Bedu Singh Panth SDF 4,57752.14%Lalit Sharma INC 2,83732.32%1,740
15 Rangang–Yangang 85.44%Chandra Bdr Karki SDF 5,55868.24%Avinash Yakha INC 2,36128.99%3,197
16 Tumin–Lingee 84.9% Ugyen Tshering Gyatso Bhutia SDF 5,02655.33%Phuchung Bhutia INC 3,70240.75%1,324
17 Khamdong–Singtam 84.24%Am Prasad Sharma SDF 4,29856.37% Nar Bahadur Bhandari INC 3,03239.76%1,266
18 West Pendam 82.94%Neeru Sewa SDF 4,15153.53%Jagdish Cintury INC 3,08839.82%1,063
19 Rhenock 84.97%Bhim Prasad Dhungel SDF 5,61153.72%Kedar Nath Sharma INC 4,16839.9%1,443
20 Chujachen 83.92% Puran Kumar Gurung SDF 8,07774.35%Harka Raj Gurung INC 2,11419.46%5,963
21 Gnathang–Machong 85.78%L.M. Lepcha SDF 4,07758.59%Chhopel Dzongpo Bhutia SHRP 1,67724.1%2,400
22 Namchaybong 86.49%Bek Bahadur Rai SDF 5,87763.37% Em Prasad Sharma INC 2,95431.85%2,923
23 Shyari 81.51%Karma Tempo Namgyal Gyaltsen SDF 5,03463.15% Kunga Nima Lepcha INC 2,75334.54%2,281
24 Martam–Rumtek 85.29%Menlom Lepcha SDF 6,39264.04%Rinzing Namgyal INC 3,02730.33%3,365
25 Upper Tadong 78.07%Dil Bahadur Thapa SDF 3,14856.%Arun Kumar Basnet INC 2,10537.45%1,043
26 Arithang 73.65%Narendra Kumar Pradhan SDF 3,32060.95%Bharat Basnett INC 1,86534.24%1,455
27 Gangtok 70.38%Dorjee Namgyal Bhutia SDF 3,50661.18%Tshering Gyatso Kaleon INC 1,92833.64%1,578
28 Upper Burtuk 82.48% Prem Singh Tamang SDF 5,90878.63%Arun Kumar Rai INC 1,34517.9%4,563
29 Kabi–Lungchok 85.36% Thenlay Tshering Bhutia SDF 4,82364.46%Ugen Nedup Bhutia INC 2,65935.54%2,164
30 Djongu 89.79% Sonam Gyatso Lepcha SDF 4,75679.97%Norden Tshering Lepcha INC 81913.77%3,937
31 Lachen–Mangan 89.48% Tshering Wangdi Lepcha SDF 2,71953.3%Anil Lachenpa INC 1,94038.03%779
32 Sangha 64.75%Phetook Tshering Bhutia SDF 98049.49%Tshering Lama INC 92546.72%55

See also

References

  1. 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 . 20 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  2. "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.
  3. "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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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 7 October 2009.
  6. "Statistical Report on General Election, 2009 to the Legislative Assembly of Sikkim" (PDF). eci.nic.in. Election Commission of India. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2014.
  7. "Statistical Report on General Election, 2009 to the Legislative Assembly of Sikkim" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (pdf) on 4 April 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2024.