# 2009 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election

The Sikkim Legislative Assembly election of 2009 took place in April 2009, concurrently with the 2009 Indian general election. The elections were held in the state for all 32 legislative assembly seats along with the third phase of 2009 Indian general elections on 30 April 2009. The results were declared on 5 May 2009. The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) further strengthened their majority in the Sikkim Assembly by winning all the seats. Incumbent Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling's Government returned for an unprecedented fourth consecutive term having won previous elections in 1994, 1999, and 2004.

## Previous Assembly

In the 2004 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election, the SDF almost had a clean-sweep winning 31 of the 32 seats in the state. Congress was the only other party to win any seats, winning the Sangha seat that is reserved for the monks and nuns of Sikkim's many monasteries. P.K. Chamling led SDF had already formed the previous two Governments in Sikkim having first formed the Government after the 1994 election, when they won 19 seats within a year of the party being formed), and then again after the 1999 election, when they increased their tally to 24 seats. Chamling's third term began on May 21, 2004, when he and his 11cabinate ministers were sworn in by the then Governor of Sikkim V. Rama Rao.

## Background

With the tenure of the Sikkim Assembly scheduled to expire on 23 May 23, 2009, the Election Commission of India announced on 2 March 2009, that the elections to the Sikkim Assembly would be held at the same time as the general election. Sikkim voted in the third phase of the 5-phase national election.
Though SDF had provided external support to Manmohan Singh's Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre since 2004, the SDF and Congress were the main political opponents in Sikkim. Ironically, the Congress was led in the state by Nar Bahadur Bhandari, mentor and former colleague of Chamling.
In this election UDF was formed by coalition of BJP, INC and few other parties, which was thrown into disarray with its constituents appearing to go separate.

### Schedule of election

| Poll Event | Dates |
| Announcement & Issue of Press Note | Monday, 02 Mar 2009 |
| Issue of Notification | Thursday, 02 Apr 2009 |
| Last Date for filing Nominations | Thursday, 09 Apr 2009 |
| Scrutiny of Nominations | Friday, 10 Apr 2009 |
| Last date for withdrawal of Candidature | Monday, 13 Apr 2009 |
| Date of Poll | Thursday, 30 Apr 2009 |
| Counting of Votes on | Saturday, 16 May 2009 |
| Date of election being completed | Saturday, 23 May 2009 |
| Constituencies Polling on this day | 32 |
| Source: Election Commission of India ||

### Parties and candidates

| Party Type | Code | Party Name | Number of candidates | Total |
| National Parties | BJP | Bharatiya Janata Party | 11 | 57 |
| National Parties | CPM | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 3 | 57 |
| National Parties | INC | Indian National Congress | 32 | 57 |
| National Parties | NCP | Nationalist Congress Party | 11 | 57 |
| State Parties | SDF | Sikkim Democratic Front | 32 | 32 |
| Unrecognised or Unregistered Parties | SGPP | Sikkim Gorkha Prajatantrik Party | 27 | 53 |
| Unrecognised or Unregistered Parties | SHRP | Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad | 20 | 53 |
| Unrecognised or Unregistered Parties | SJEP | Sikkim Jan-Ekta Party | 6 | 53 |
| Independents | n/a | Independents | 25 | 25 |
| Total: | Total: | Total: | Total: | 167 |
| Source: Election Commission of India |||||

## Results

The SDF went from strength to strength and this time won even the single seat that had eluded them in 2004. With a clean sweep of all 32 seats in the state, Chamling was sworn in for his fourth consecutive term as Chief Minister by Governor B.P. Singh at the Gangtok Raj Bhawan on May 20, 2009. This Government included Neeru Sewa and Tilu Gurung who became the first ever women Cabinet ministers in Sikkim.
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| | Sikkim Democratic Front | 165,991 | 65.91 | 32 | +1 |
| | Indian National Congress | 69,612 | 27.64 | 0 | –1 |
| | Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad | 5,516 | 2.19 | 0 | 0 |
| | Sikkim Gorkha Prajatantrik Party | 2,909 | 1.16 | 0 | New |
| | Bharatiya Janata Party | 1,966 | 0.78 | 0 | 0 |
| | Nationalist Congress Party | 1,065 | 0.42 | 0 | New |
| | Sikkim Jan-Ekta Party | 497 | 0.20 | 0 | New |
| | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 272 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independents | 4,023 | 1.60 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 251,851 | 100.00 | 32 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 251,851 | 99.65 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 885 | 0.35 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 252,736 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 300,584 | 84.08 | | |
| Source: CEO Sikkim ||||||

### Results by constituency

Winner, runner-up, voter turnout, and victory margin in every constituency :
| Assembly Constituency | Assembly Constituency | Turnout | Winner | Winner | Winner | Winner | Winner | Runner Up | Runner Up | Runner Up | Runner Up | Runner Up | Margin |
| #k | Names | % | Candidate | Party | Party | Votes | % | Candidate | Party | Party | Votes | % | Margin |
| 1 | Yoksam–Tashiding | 86.94% | Dawcho Lepcha | | SDF | 5,909 | 71.75% | Aden Tshering Lepcha | | INC | 1,666 | 20.23% | 4,243 |
| 2 | Yangthang | 85.99% | Prem Lall Subba | | SDF | 5,770 | 73.19% | Depan Hang Limbu | | INC | 1,545 | 19.6% | 4,225 |
| 3 | Maneybong–Dentam | 86.75% | Chandra Maya Subba | | SDF | 6,252 | 71.99% | Laxuman Gurung | | INC | 1,899 | 21.87% | 4,353 |
| 4 | Gyalshing–Barnyak | 84.32% | Man Bahadur Dahal | | SDF | 4,967 | 68.13% | Youa Raj Rai | | INC | 1,557 | 21.36% | 3,410 |
| 5 | Rinchenpong | 86.96% | Dawa Norbu Takarpa | | SDF | 6,438 | 72.69% | Pema Kinzang Bhutia | | INC | 2,145 | 24.22% | 4,293 |
| 6 | Daramdin | 84.83% | Tenzi Sherpa | | SDF | 6,507 | 68.97% | Pem Nuri Sherpa | | INC | 1,807 | 19.15% | 4,700 |
| 7 | Soreng–Chakung | 84.62% | Ram Bahadur Subba | | SDF | 6,497 | 66.5% | Nar Bahadur Bhandari | | INC | 2,378 | 24.34% | 4,119 |
| 8 | Salghari–Zoom | 84.62% | Madan Cintury | | SDF | 4,437 | 65.14% | Janga Bir Darnal | | INC | 2,139 | 31.4% | 2,298 |
| 9 | Barfung | 85.78% | Sonam Gyatso Bhutia | | SDF | 6,049 | 70.35% | Lobzang Bhutia | | INC | 2,197 | 25.55% | 3,852 |
| 10 | Poklok–Kamrang | 86.32% | Pawan Kumar Chamling | | SDF | 7,379 | 80.68% | Purna Kumari Rai | | INC | 1,423 | 15.56% | 5,956 |
| 11 | Namchi–Singhithang | 76.84% | Pawan Kumar Chamling | | SDF | 5,653 | 80.97% | Khush Bahadur Rai | | INC | 1,009 | 14.45% | 4,644 |
| 12 | Melli | 83.83% | Tulshi Devi Rai | | SDF | 6,307 | 67.48% | Dil Kri. Chhetri | | INC | 2,454 | 26.25% | 3,853 |
| 13 | Namthang–Rateypani | 82.7% | Tilu Gurung | | SDF | 5,988 | 65.76% | Suk Bahadur Tamang | | INC | 2,777 | 30.5% | 3,211 |
| 14 | Temi–Namphing | 84.96% | Bedu Singh Panth | | SDF | 4,577 | 52.14% | Lalit Sharma | | INC | 2,837 | 32.32% | 1,740 |
| 15 | Rangang–Yangang | 85.44% | Chandra Bdr Karki | | SDF | 5,558 | 68.24% | Avinash Yakha | | INC | 2,361 | 28.99% | 3,197 |
| 16 | Tumin–Lingee | 84.9% | Ugyen Tshering Gyatso Bhutia | | SDF | 5,026 | 55.33% | Phuchung Bhutia | | INC | 3,702 | 40.75% | 1,324 |
| 17 | Khamdong–Singtam | 84.24% | Am Prasad Sharma | | SDF | 4,298 | 56.37% | Nar Bahadur Bhandari | | INC | 3,032 | 39.76% | 1,266 |
| 18 | West Pendam | 82.94% | Neeru Sewa | | SDF | 4,151 | 53.53% | Jagdish Cintury | | INC | 3,088 | 39.82% | 1,063 |
| 19 | Rhenock | 84.97% | Bhim Prasad Dhungel | | SDF | 5,611 | 53.72% | Kedar Nath Sharma | | INC | 4,168 | 39.9% | 1,443 |
| 20 | Chujachen | 83.92% | Puran Kumar Gurung | | SDF | 8,077 | 74.35% | Harka Raj Gurung | | INC | 2,114 | 19.46% | 5,963 |
| 21 | Gnathang–Machong | 85.78% | L.M. Lepcha | | SDF | 4,077 | 58.59% | Chhopel Dzongpo Bhutia | | SHRP | 1,677 | 24.1% | 2,400 |
| 22 | Namchaybong | 86.49% | Bek Bahadur Rai | | SDF | 5,877 | 63.37% | Em Prasad Sharma | | INC | 2,954 | 31.85% | 2,923 |
| 23 | Shyari | 81.51% | Karma Tempo Namgyal Gyaltsen | | SDF | 5,034 | 63.15% | Kunga Nima Lepcha | | INC | 2,753 | 34.54% | 2,281 |
| 24 | Martam–Rumtek | 85.29% | Menlom Lepcha | | SDF | 6,392 | 64.04% | Rinzing Namgyal | | INC | 3,027 | 30.33% | 3,365 |
| 25 | Upper Tadong | 78.07% | Dil Bahadur Thapa | | SDF | 3,148 | 56.% | Arun Kumar Basnet | | INC | 2,105 | 37.45% | 1,043 |
| 26 | Arithang | 73.65% | Narendra Kumar Pradhan | | SDF | 3,320 | 60.95% | Bharat Basnett | | INC | 1,865 | 34.24% | 1,455 |
| 27 | Gangtok | 70.38% | Dorjee Namgyal Bhutia | | SDF | 3,506 | 61.18% | Tshering Gyatso Kaleon | | INC | 1,928 | 33.64% | 1,578 |
| 28 | Upper Burtuk | 82.48% | Prem Singh Tamang | | SDF | 5,908 | 78.63% | Arun Kumar Rai | | INC | 1,345 | 17.9% | 4,563 |
| 29 | Kabi–Lungchok | 85.36% | Thenlay Tshering Bhutia | | SDF | 4,823 | 64.46% | Ugen Nedup Bhutia | | INC | 2,659 | 35.54% | 2,164 |
| 30 | Djongu | 89.79% | Sonam Gyatso Lepcha | | SDF | 4,756 | 79.97% | Norden Tshering Lepcha | | INC | 819 | 13.77% | 3,937 |
| 31 | Lachen–Mangan | 89.48% | Tshering Wangdi Lepcha | | SDF | 2,719 | 53.3% | Anil Lachenpa | | INC | 1,940 | 38.03% | 779 |
| 32 | Sangha | 64.75% | Phetook Tshering Bhutia | | SDF | 980 | 49.49% | Tshering Lama | | INC | 925 | 46.72% | 55 |