Sikkim: Passang Tamang wins Arithang by-polls

Gangtok: Passang Tamang won the by-Election to 10 Arithang-II, Municipal Ward of Gangtok Municipal Corporation by a margin of 1,119 votes. The municipal ward was up for by-elections after the death of former councillor Raju Tamang earlier this year. Pasang is the brother of former candidate Raju Tamang.

The winning candidate was presented with the Certificate of Election by the Municipal Returning Officer (East), Ragul K. in the presence of Election Observer Tshewang Gyachho.

The polling for 10 Arithang-II took place on September 17 in three polling stations set up at the CS Rai Government Secondary School, Arithang.

Three candidates were in the fray for the Councillor seat, the two others include Rajeney Gurung, who secured 717 votes, while Dawa Sherpa secured 147 votes. There were a total of 3,632 electors.

On Sunday, after the Strong Room was opened under the supervision of Municipal Returning Officer (East) in the presence of Election Observer, ADC East, ADC Headquarters, Sector Magistrate, Candidates and their Election agents, the polled Electronic Voting Machines were shifted to the Counting Hall.

The counting procedures began with the counting of recorded votes in EVMs and the compilation of data.

The one counting table was set up at the Conference Hall (Counting Hall) and the counting was taken up booth wise. One Counting Supervisor and one Counting Assistant have been assigned to the counting table for counting votes along with the In-charge. The entire procedure of counting votes was also video recorded.

After the completion of the counting procedure, the EVMs were shifted and stored in the strong room. The strong room was sealed by the Municipal Returning Officer East in the presence of the Elections Observer and other officers.