KNOW YOUR PANCHAYAT POLLS

Ground work laid for rural body polls
VISHNU NEOPANEY
GANGTOK, 05 Oct: Mali-Dara in South District is the largest Gram Panchayat ward with 1,390 voters and Shipgyer in Upper Dzongu has the lowest voting population of 39 as recorded for the upcoming Panchayat election to be held on 03 November, next month. Break-up details for Zilla territorial constituencies are not available.
With less than a month left for the elections [scheduled for 03 November], the state government is putting all the requirements in place. The State Election Commission has 1,440 Electronic Voting Machines [EVMs] and has borrowed 1,250 from Sikkim Election Department to conduct the two tier Panchayat elections.
It is informed that the number of voting machines to be used will be finalized after the complete list of withdrawals is received from the Returning Officers of all the four districts.
To conduct smooth and fair election, the State Election Commission has appointed four Election Observers and two Election Observers in reserved category in connection with the conduct of the Panchayat election and directed them to go to the concerned districts immediately.
Secretary Labour department, CT Wangdi has been entrusted to look into all the Gram Panchayat Wards and Territorial constituencies of North district while Special Secretary Rural Management and Development department, Surendra Kumar Pradhan has been entrusted to look after the South District.
Secretary Food and Security & Agriculture department, Santa Bahadur Pradhan will be looking after the West District and Managing Director State Bank of Sikkim, S K Silal the East District.
Special Secretary Health department, P W Rinzing and Special Secretary, L P Barfungpa have been kept in reserve for Election Observers.
In the meantime, the State Government has appointed 44 Special Executive Magistrates for maintenance of law and order in the territorial jurisdiction of sectors allotted to them by the District Magistrate under Section 22 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for the purpose of the Panchayat election till the completion of the election process.
As per a government notification, for the East District as many as 19 Special Executive Magistrates have been appointed, followed by 08 for West District, 05 for North District and 12 for South District.
Also Block Development Officers and senior State Government Officials have been appointed by the state government as Special Executive Magistrates.