2.65 voters to elect new rural reps

ANAND OBEROI
GANGTOK, 19 Sept: The upcoming Panchayat polls scheduled for October have an electoral roll of 2,65,396 voters across the State. This marks a substantial hike from the 1,41,103 voters registered in the 2007 panchayat elections. This time, out of the total voters registered in rural Sikkim, 1,38,102 are males and 1,27,294 females. This information was shared by the State Election Commissioner, SK Gautam, here today.
The Commissioner informed that voting will take place in 987 wards, 176 GPUs and 108 territorial constituencies. The reservation pattern, except the enhanced reservation of 50% for women, will follow the 2007 format.
Speaking on the issue of delimitation of panchayat wards, he informed that the Composition of Gram Panchayat (Amended 1995) in the Sikkim Panchayat Manual 1993-2006 published by the RM&DD states, “The state government shall, by notification reserve seats for Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in every gram panchayat and the number of seats so reserved shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportions to the total number of seats so as to be filled by direct election in that panchayat as the population of the Scheduled Castes in that panchayat area or of the Scheduled Tribes in that panchayat area bears to the total population of that area and such seats shall be allotted by rotation to different wards in a gram panchayat in such manner as may be prescribed”.
The Commissioner also stated that the Code of Conduct regarding the elections will come into force with the notification of the dates for filing of nominations, scrutiny and withdrawals. This is expected within a week’s time.
“The notification will be issued in a week after which the code of conduct will come into force. The candidates will be given seven days to file their nominations after the notification is issued. The entire process of the panchayat elections will be completed by 05 November. We have completed all the required formalities including meeting with the opposition parties and have gone into election mode,” he stated.
It was also informed that the District Collectors of all the four districts will be nominated as Returning Officers during the elections who in turn will appoint Assistant Returning Officers. The observers for the elections will all belong to the state government administration who will handle voting in all wards where the polling booths will be set-up, the remotest being Karjey in West Sikkim.