Sikkim Election Commission

About Sikkim Election Commission

The State Election Commission of Sikkim is an entity that monitors the electoral activities and democratic commitments of the state to its people. The commission ensures that the people get their democratic rights fulfilled to safeguard the basic fundamentals of democracy.

Based upon the guidelines of Amendment acts 73 and 74, passed in 1992, all the state election commissions and the state election commissioners are given the direct responsibility to supervise and control the process of preparing the electoral rolls for different local governing bodies in the state.

Formation of Sikkim Election Commission

After India’s independence in 1947, a popularity vote to decide Sikkim’s future status rejected its merging with the Indian Union but on the other hand, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru mutually agreed to hand Sikkim a special protectorate status. Thus, Sikkim came to be known as an entity under India’s suzerainty, which controlled its external affairs, diplomacy, defense and communication systems. A few exceptions aside, Sikkim retained administrative autonomy. In 1953 a state council was established that allowed constitutional government under the helm of the Chogyal.

In the year 1975 the Prime Minister of Sikkim pleaded the Indian Parliament to include Sikkim into the federal framework of India as a new constituent state. Correspondingly, in April 1975, the Indian Army reached the city of Gangtok and seized control of Sikkim. Thereafter, a referendum with 97.5 percent votes abolished monarchy in Sikkim, thus effectively approving its union with India. Decisively, on May 16, 1975, Sikkim became India’s 22nd state as monarchy was now completely abolished. Later, the Constitution of India Amendment 36 declared Sikkim as a full state of India, adding its name to the First Schedule of the Constitution.

Chief Electoral Officer of Sikkim

The Chief Electoral Officer of Sikkim state election commission is Shri D. Anandan. He is an IAS officer of year 2000 batch, and was appointed as CEO of Sikkim by the State Government and Election Commission of India in the year of 2012-13.

Appointed Officers for Election Commission of Sikkim and their contact numbers

1. Smt. R. Ongmu, IAS, Chief Secretary: 202315
2. Shri D. Anandan , IAS, CEO: 207855
3. Shri G. Jayachandran, PS to CEO: 207855
4. Shri L. P. Pandey, SCS, Special CEO: 203673
5. Shri M. N. Dhakal, Additional CEO: 203721
6. Shri Tashi Tsh. Bhutia, Joint Director: 205066
7. Shri Kishor Pradhan, Deputy CEO: 203660
8. Shri D. K. Chettri, Deputy Director: 203778
9. Mrs Prativa Gurung, Accounts Officer: 960987260
10. Shri. Ashim Tamang, Assistant Director: 203778

DEO/ ROs/ DEROs/ EROs and their office contacts

1. Shri A. K Singh, IAS, (East): 03592-202922
2. Shri Prabhakar, IAS, (South): 03595-263734
3. Shri C.P. Dhakal, SCS, (North): 03592-234856
4. Shri L.P. Chettri, SCS, (West): 03595-250888

Schedule and Budget of Sikkim Election

The current government, headed by Sikkim’s Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, came to power in the year 2009. The democratically elected government ends its tenure in 2014 when the state is expected to go into polls to elect another government for the next five years. As the Election Commission is already busy with simultaneous assembly polls in five Indian states this December, it has its entire attention focused on this year’s showdown. So far, it has not come out with any announcements regarding the polls in the various states that are due to go into polls next year.

It is expected that the election commission will reveal the relevant dates anytime sooner in the coming year, along with the specifications for the budgetary allotments. The commission, though, has already started discussions regarding the upcoming polls in Sikkim.