Sikkim municipal elections on Mar 31

BIJOY GURUNG

Observers to check political footprints in candidates’ campaign trail
GANGTOK,: Election schedule for the seven urban local bodies of Sikkim will be notified on March 1 (Monday) with polling to take place on March 31, informed State Election Commissioner Nima L. Yethenpa on Thursday.
Sikkim has a three-tier civic body with Gangtok Municipal Corporation (GMC), Namchi Municipal Council, and nagar panchayats of Singtam, Rangpo, Nayabazaar-Jorethang, Gyalshing and Mangan. Altogether there are 51 wards with the SEC preparing 90 polling stations to conduct the elections. There are 82,816 voters (male: 42341, female: 40475) for the seven urban local bodies.
Reservation pattern for the municipal bodies is to be announced on March 1. Model code of conduct will also be applicable from March 1 in all municipal areas of Sikkim.
The municipal elections in Sikkim this time would be held in a non-partisan manner following a 2020 amendment in the Sikkim Municipality Act. As per the amendment, ‘no person shall contest the election to any municipality with the support, direct or indirect of any political party’. In other words, all the contesting candidates would be treated as independent candidates with their own symbol allotted by the Sikkim Election Commission (SEC).
Asked about this, the State Election Commissioner informed that a handbook on ‘model code of conduct’ would be issued by the respective returning officers to the candidates.
“No political party or party functionaries can campaign or extend support to any candidate. It is a party-less municipal elections we are having this time. We will have observers all around and they will monitor the election campaign. If there is any problem, they will contact us and we will take a decision,” said Yethenpa. She added that the observer will report to the commission if any political party or political leaders are seen campaigning for a particular candidate or violating the model code of conduct.
Sikkim is having its third municipal elections. The last municipal polls had taken place in 2015.
Following a re-delimitation of municipal wards, the ward strength of Gangtok Municipal Corporation (GMC) has been increased to 19 wards from existing 17 wards. The newly created wards are Bojoghari 2nd Mile and Pani House.
Yethenpa informed that the Nayabazar-Jorethang Municipal Council and Gyalshing Municipal Council have been re-categorised as nagar panchayats as the urban population in these areas are low. Accordingly, the number of wards in these two urban local bodies has dropped to five wards each from the previous seven wards each.
Sikkim Civic Polls 2021
Issue of notification: March 1 (Monday)
Last date for making nomination: March 8
Scrutiny of nomination: March 9
Last date for withdrawing nomination: March 11
Polling: March 31
Counting of votes: April 3
Municipal Areas
Gangtok Municipal Corporation : 19 wards
Singtam Nagar Panchayat : 5 wards
Rangpo Nagar Panchayat : 5 wards
Namchi Municipal Council : 7 wards
Nayabazaar-Jorethang Nagar Panchayat: 5 wards
Gyalshing Nagar Panchayat : 5 wards
Mangan Nagar Panchayat : 5 wards
Polling stations: 89
Voters: Male: 42,341  Female: 40475