Friday, September 11, 2009

Sikkim bye-election Counting on Sep14


NAMCHI, September 10: The polling for the Assembly bye-election at 11-Namchi-Singithing seat in South Sikkim was conducted peacefully today amidst tight security arrangements.
The Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, whose name figures in this constituency cast his vote at 12:26 pm at New Secondary School, Namchi. He was accompanied by Mrs Tika Maya Chamling.
No untoward incident was reported anywhere from the constituency.
“The election was peaceful. We neither seized any arms nor arrested anyone. Not a single incident was reported where the voters have been influenced or intimidated to cast their votes,” returning officer AK Singh informed.
He said special in-charges were deputed in sensitive booths to prevent any untoward incidents.
“The polling recorded 67.5 percent as compared to the last general election which was 74 percent,” the Returning Officer said adding that the highest vote was recorded in Singtam Palung Junior High School which was 81.06 percent while the lowest vote was recorded as 48.10 percent in Namchi Senior Secondary School Room Number 3. Similar data was recorded from the same places in the last general election.
From a total of 9066 votes in the constituency, the total vote cast recorded till 4 pm was 6101. The remaining votes, from Saleybong polling area was yet to arrive yet till the filing of the report. The total number of voters cast in the last election was 9103.
However, with polling over, the fate of the five contestants of different political parties including Yova Raj Rai of Indian National Congress, Binod Rai from the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front, Arjun Kumar Rai from the Sikkim Gorkha Prajantrik Party and two independent candidates Namgyal Dorjee Bhutia and Chandra Prakash Mangar will be decided on September 14 after the counting of votes. The by-election was necessitated following the vacating of the seat by the Chief Minster Pawan Chamling. Mr. Chamling had retained the Poklong-Kamrang constituency after winning from the both the constituencies in the Assembly elections held earlier this year.
It is also informed that the observation of the strong room where the EVMs shall be kept and also the counting hall are under CCTV vigilance till the declaration of the election results on September 14. The EVMs after having being returned from the 15 polling stations will be checked, sealed and locked in the presence of the Returning Officer, candidates, Central Observer and other concerned persons. In the process of checking EVMs if any uncommon thing is found then the matter would be reported by the Presiding Officers to the Central Observer, said the Returning Officer. Two sections of Indo- Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have been deputed in the District Administrative Centre to guard the strong room, he said.
Mr. Singh also informed that the training for counting supervisors will be conducted tomorrow along with all the candidates and the Presiding Officers. Counting arrangement will be done as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines and requiremen