SDF reigns supreme in both Zilla and Ward Panchayats in South as well

NAMCHI, 05 Nov: It was another sweep by the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front in the Panchayat election in South Sikkim. And this time, the party even improved further on its panchayat elections 2007 tally. Official SDF candidates won all the zilla seats they contested [14/15] and the lone zilla berth going to an Independent was from a constituency where the ruling party was supporting independents. The party’s command even in the more numerous panchayat wards was also established today with the party candidates winning 80 of the 99 wards where elections were held. As for the 19 wards where Independents won, SDF did not field any candidates in 10 where it backed Independents. The final tally for South Sikkim has SDF holding 27 of the 28 zilla panchayats and 252 of the 271 wards.
Counting of the two tier Panchayat poll started at 8 AM this morning at the Namchi Senior Secondary School auditorium. Supporters of both the independents and SDF came in droves anxious to know the fate of their respective candidates. However, the wave slowly but surely turned towards the ruling Front.
People here in South Sikkim may have expected that after the pre poll violence and tension of the past few weeks, the opposition might post a stronger showing, but all such speculations were brought to nought.
Out of the 15 Zilla Panchayat seats, 14 were swept by the ruling party’s candidates. The lone Independent Zilla candidate who emerged victorious was from Kolthang Mangzing TC reserved for OBC (Women). However the SDF did not have any candidates contesting the poll from this TC and the winning independent candidate was supported by the ruling party.
Out of 99 ward panchayats that went to poll in South district, a major share i.e 80 wards went to SDF while the independent remained victorious in 19 wards. It may be mentioned here that the ruling SDF did not field its candidates in 10 wards and supported independents in the 9 remaining wards which it lost.
It may be also noted that though the general impression was that it was a fight between SDF and the Independents, the SDF managed to overcome the odds and it soon became a fight between independent candidates which may have caused harm to their prospects of winning at some wards in the end. The ruling SDF candidates were unscathed.
The counting was over by 6:30 in the evening successfully except for the Pabong (Ganchung) ward where the independent candidate was declared the winner at first but after a complaint by the SDF candidate, a review found that the EVMs had got exchanged with the Zilla ones and after the correction, the SDF candidate emerged victorious. The DC explained this to both candidates and the explanation was accepted by both.
In some of the ward panchayats, a close fight was seen where the candidates lost with a small margins. The most interesting result was that of Lower Borong where there was a tie of 135 votes each; the deciding votes were the postal ballots with which SDF won by two votes.
Similarly, in Peku ward under Ben Namphrik GPU, the SDF candidate Prem Kala Chettri won the election by 1 vote against the Independent candidate Chandra Kala Chettri. Here also the result was a tie and with the opening of the postal ballots, SDF was declared the winner.
Similarly, Independent candidate from Lower Neya, Ganga Devi defeated the SDF candidate Jyoti Chettri with a close margin of two votes. The Independent got 196 votes while SDF managed to get 194.
SDF supporters greeted their respective leaders and welcomed them with traditional khadas. Gathered in large numbers outside the counting centre, the supporters also shouted pro government and SDF slogans.
While addressing the media personnel at the control room later, DC South informed that besides minor incidents on the evening of the panchayat poll no untoward incidents were reported in the South district. These minor incidents were settled after the intervention of the sector magistrate and sector police officers, he added.
The DC further said that the election went off peacefully and was a successful one. While talking about today’s incident of EVM exchange, DC South also the Returning Officer told media persons that, due to the mistake of the presiding officer, the EVM of Zilla Panchayat poll of the same ward got exchanged with the gram panchayat ward of Pabong (Ganchung) ward under Namphing GPU and the total vote cast was the same in both the EVMs.
At first the counting revealed the Independent candidate Dawa Tshering Tamang as the winner but after the complaint of SDF candidate Immanuel Tamang the mistake of EVM exchange came to light and after recounting, the SDF candidate was declared the winner with 218 votes against 139 votes of the Independent candidate. Similarly, the Zilla poll of the same ward was also corrected accordingly. The mistake was explained to the Independent candidate and after the recounting he was also convinced, said the DC.
The DC further thanked and congratulated the ROs, AROs, Sector Magistrates, SP South and his team, Sector police Officers and police personnel for the successful completion of Panchayat poll in the district. He also thanked the Election Commission and officers for providing guidance and also the candidates and supporters.
According to him, they co-operated well and maintained law and order, especially the ruling party’s candidates and supporters. Congratulating the voters who came out strongly to vote for their respective leaders, the DC informed that the overall voting percentage in South was 79%. He also thanked the media for mature reporting.