# Sangha Assembly constituency

Sangha Assembly constituency is one of the 32 assembly constituencies of Sikkim, a state in the Northeast region of India. It is a part of the Sikkim Lok Sabha constituency. As of 2019, Sonam Lama is the holder of this seat. His current term is expected to end by 2024.
This seat is reserved for the Buddhist monastic community (Sangha) of Sikkim. Buddhist monks and nuns, registered with the 111 recognized monasteries in the state, are the only ones who can contest and cast their votes for this Assembly seat.

## Members of the Sikkim State Council

The Sangha constituency was created in 1958 for the Sikkim State Council, after requests from the monastery associations to the Chogyal.
Members of the Sikkim State Council :
| Election | Name | Party |
| 1958 | Lharipa Rinzing Lama | Sikkim National Party |
| 1967 | Pema Lama | Independent |
| 1970 | Rinzing Chewang Lama | Independent |
| 1973 | Peyching Lama | Sikkim National Party |
| 1974 | Karma Gompu Lama | Sikkim National Congress |

## Members of the Legislative Assembly

After the 1975 Sikkimese monarchy referendum, Sikkim became a state of India and the members of the State Council at the time, were deemed to be the Legislative Assembly of the new state of Sikkim.
Members of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly :
| Election | Name | Party |
| 1974 | Karma Gompu Lama | Sikkim National Congress |
| 1979 | Lhachen Ganchen Rimpuchhi | Independent |
| 1985 | Namkha Gyaltsen | Sikkim Sangram Parishad |
| 1989 | Namkha Gyaltsen | Sikkim Sangram Parishad |
| 1994 | Namkha Gyaltsen | Indian National Congress |
| 1999 | Palden Lama | Independent |
| 2004 | Tshering Lama | Indian National Congress |
| 2009 | Phetook Tsh. Bhutia | Sikkim Democratic Front |
| 2014 | Sonam Lama | Sikkim Krantikari Morcha |
| 2019 | Sonam Lama | Sikkim Krantikari Morcha |
| 2024 | Sonam Lama | Sikkim Krantikari Morcha |

## Supreme Court case

In 1993, a case was brought in the Supreme Court of India, challenging the reservation for the Sangha constituency and for the Bhutia-Lepcha constituencies in Sikkim, by Ram Chandra Poudyal of the Rising Sun Party. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition, judging that the Sangha had played a major part in previous Councils' decision-making and the reservation is not based purely on religious distinctions and is, therefore, not unconstitutional.

## Election results
### Assembly Election 2024

2024 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SKM | Sonam Lama | 1,919 | 60.01% | 2.62 |
| | BJP | Tseten Tashi Bhutia | 1,054 | 32.96% | New |
| | SDF | Tshering Lama | 114 | 3.56% | 32.55 |
| | Citizen Action Party-Sikkim | Norcho Lepcha | 97 | 3.03% | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 865 | 27.05% | 0.53 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,198 | 78.50% | 6.34 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,074 | | 23.72 |
| | SKM hold | SKM hold | Swing | 2.62 | |

### Assembly election 2019

2019 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SKM | Sonam Lama | 1,488 | 62.63% | 12.76 |
| | SDF | Tshering Lama | 858 | 36.11% | 8.07 |
| | INC | Karma Tashi Bhutia | 17 | 0.72% | 4.20 |
| | NOTA | None of the Above | 13 | 0.55% | 0.50 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 630 | 26.52% | 20.83 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,376 | 72.15% | 3.54 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,293 | | 13.40 |
| | SKM hold | SKM hold | Swing | 12.76 | |

### Assembly election 2014

2014 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SKM | Sonam Lama | 1,096 | 49.86% | New |
| | SDF | Palden Lachungpa | 971 | 44.18% | 5.32 |
| | INC | Tshering Lama | 108 | 4.91% | 41.80 |
| | NOTA | None of the Above | 23 | 1.05% | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 125 | 5.69% | 2.91 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,198 | 75.69% | 10.94 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,904 | | 5.04 |
| | SKM gain from SDF | SKM gain from SDF | Swing | 0.37 | |

### Assembly election 2009

2009 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SDF | Phetook Tshering Bhutia | 980 | 49.49% | 27.99 |
| | INC | Tshering Lama | 925 | 46.72% | 14.39 |
| | BJP | Samdup Dorjee Lama | 75 | 3.79% | 1.30 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 55 | 2.78% | 1.44 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,980 | 64.75% | 2.24 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,058 | | |
| | SDF gain from INC | SDF gain from INC | Swing | | |

### Assembly election 2004

2004 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | INC | Tshering Lama | 675 | 32.33% | 13.57 |
| | Independent | Palden Lama | 587 | 28.11% | New |
| | SDF | Namkha Gyaltse Bhutia | 449 | 21.50% | New |
| | Independent | Thinley Gyatso Lepcha | 310 | 14.85% | New |
| | BJP | Samdup Dorjee Lama | 52 | 2.49% | New |
| | Independent | Sonam Dorjee | 15 | 0.72% | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 88 | 4.21% | 43.38 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,088 | 66.99% | 7.02 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,117 | | |
| | INC gain from Independent | INC gain from Independent | Swing | 34.02 | |

### Assembly election 1999

1999 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Palden Lama | 1,309 | 66.35% | New |
| | INC | Namkha Gyaltsen Lama | 370 | 18.75% | 28.33 |
| | SSP | Dorjee Dadul Lama | 294 | 14.90% | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 939 | 47.59% | 39.98 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,973 | 61.43% | 7.18 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,290 | | 6.61 |
| | Independent gain from INC | Independent gain from INC | Swing | | |

### Assembly election 1994

1994 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | INC | Namkha Gyaltsen Lama | 767 | 47.08% | 33.51 |
| | SDF | Palden Lama | 643 | 39.47% | New |
| | Independent | Sherab Dorji | 150 | 9.21% | New |
| | Independent | Karma Tenpa | 40 | 2.46% | New |
| | Independent | Tshering Lama | 16 | 0.98% | New |
| | Independent | Danen Lama | 13 | 0.80% | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 124 | 7.61% | 18.46 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,629 | 54.02% | 6.98 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,086 | | 4.04 |
| | INC gain from SSP | INC gain from SSP | Swing | 7.63 | |

### Assembly election 1989

1989 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SSP | Nanjha Gyaltsen | 806 | 54.72% | 2.40 |
| | Independent | Bazing | 422 | 28.65% | New |
| | INC | Rikzing Lama | 200 | 13.58% | 34.10 |
| | RIS | Pegyal | 38 | 2.58% | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 384 | 26.07% | 21.42 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,473 | 47.89% | 13.92 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,216 | | 40.07 |
| | SSP hold | SSP hold | Swing | 2.40 | |

### Assembly election 1985

1985 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SSP | Namkha Gyaltsen | 383 | 52.32% | New |
| | INC | Lachen Gomchen Rinpochi | 349 | 47.68% | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 34 | 4.64% | 83.79 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 732 | 31.88% | 4.92 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,296 | | 8.61 |
| | SSP gain from Independent | SSP gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Assembly election 1979

1979 Sikkim Legislative Assembly election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Lhachen Ganchen Rimpuchhi | 733 | 94.22% | New |
| | SPC | Pema Lama | 45 | 5.78% | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 688 | 88.43% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 778 | 38.13% | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,114 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Sikkim State Council
#### 1974

1974 Sikkimese general election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNC | Karma Gonpo Lama | | | NA |
| | Independent | Pema Chophel Lama | | | NA |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | NA |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | NA |
| | SNC gain from SNP | SNC gain from SNP | Swing | NA | |

#### 1973

In the 1973 election, Peyching Lama was elected unopposed.

#### 1970

1970 Sikkimese general election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Rinzing Chewang Lama | 367 | 82.29 |
| | SJP | Karma Lama | 46 | 10.31 |
| | SNC | Kincho Tempa Lama | 33 | 7.40 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 321 | 71.97 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 446 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

#### 1967

1967 Sikkimese general election: Sangha :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Pema Lama | |
| | | Rabzang Lama | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Independent gain from SNP | Independent gain from SNP | Swing |