Sikkim Panchayat Elections
GANGTOK, OCT 4 (PTI) :Opposition parties in Sikkim have accused the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front of trying to intimidate independent candidates contesting the ensuing zila and gram panchayat polls.
The opposition Congress, BJP, CPI(M) and Sikkim Himai Rajya Parishad submitted a memorandum to state Election Commissioner G B Subba and DGP C M Ravindran yesterday, charging the SPF with adopting undemocratic tactics against their candidates as well as independents so that they backed out from the local body polls.
The opposition leaders, comprising the state Congress chief Nar Bahadur Bhandari, BJP chief H R Pradhan, CPI(M) leader P P Koirala and SHRP general secretary Tara Shresta, urged the SEC to ensure that its candidates, including independents were not pressurized from withdrawing and were not disqualified on flimsy grounds to pave the way for the victory of SDF candidates. Ates.
In their memorandum to the DGP, the opposition leaders said that their complaints against the ruling party should be treated as FIRs.
They said all police stations should be directed to lodge cases against SDF leaders and members in instances where its candidates as well as the independents complained of harassment and intimidation by the ruling party for withdrawing their candidature.
A total of 2166 candidates have filed their nominations for 93 zila panchayat and 786 gram panchayat seats for which polls would be held on October 26.
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