General elections were held in Sikkim on 13 April 1974. They were the first elections in Sikkim to be held on the basis of universal suffrage, and also the last prior to Indian annexation.[1] The result was a victory for the Sikkim National Congress, which won 31 of the 32 seats in the State Council. Kazi Lhendup Dorjee subsequently became Chief Minister.[2] In May 1975 Sikkim became a state of India,[3] at which point the State Council became the Sikkim Legislative Assembly.[4]
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All 32 seats in the State Council 17 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background edit
In the 1973 elections the Sikkim National Party won nine seats out of eighteen elected seats in the 24-seat Sikkim State Council.[5] The Sikkim National Congress and Sikkim Janata Congress claimed there had been vote rigging, leading to protests. Political parties and members of the public demanded one man, one vote. On 8 May 1973 a tripartite agreement was signed between the Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, political parties and the government of India. The agreement provided for the establishment of a responsible government under the supervision of a Chief Executive nominated by the Indian government.[6][7]
Electoral system edit
Through the Representations of Sikkim Subjects Act, 1974, the Chogyal divided Sikkim into 31 territorial constituencies and one Sangha constituency. The 31 territorial constituencies were allocated as 15 for Nepalis, 15 for the Bhutia-Lepcha and one for scheduled castes, under a parity formula. The Sangha constituency represented Chogyal-recognized monasteries.[8]
Campaign edit
The Sikkim National Congress contested all the 32 seats, whilst the Sikkim National Party contested five seats. Elections were held with the support of Election Commission of India.[9]
Results edit
 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Seats | +/– | |
| Sikkim National Congress | 31 | +26 | |
| Sikkim National Party | 1 | –8 | |
| Total | 32 | +8 | |
| Source: Sikkim Assembly Website[10] | |||
Constituency-wise edit
| # | Constituency | Reserved for[11] |
Winner | Party[12] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yoksam | BL | Degay Bhutia | Sikkim National Congress | |
| 2 | Tashiding | Kazi Lhendup Dorjee | |||
| 3 | Geyzing | Nepalis | Kumari Hemlata Chettri | ||
| 4 | Dentam | Narbahadur Khatiwada | |||
| 5 | Barmiok | Nanda Kumar Subedi | |||
| 6 | Rinchenpong | BL | Nayen Tshering Lepcha | ||
| 7 | Chakung | Nepalis | B. B. Gurung | ||
| 8 | Soreong | Chatur Singh Rai | |||
| 9 | Daramdin | Krishna Bahadur Limboo | |||
| 10 | Jorethang-Nayabazar | Krishna Chandra Pradhan | |||
| 11 | Ralang | BL | Passang Tshering Bhutia | ||
| 12 | Wak | Adar Singh Lepcha | |||
| 13 | Damthang | Nepalis | Ratna Bijay Rai | ||
| 14 | Melli | Nanda Bahadur Rai | |||
| 15 | Rateypani West | Pendam Bhuwani Prasad Kharel | |||
| 16 | Temi-Tarku | Badri Nath Pradhan | |||
| 17 | Central Pendam-East Pendam | Kehar Singh Karki | |||
| 18 | Rhenock | Bhawani Prasad Dahal | |||
| 19 | Regu | Mohan Gurung | |||
| 20 | Pathing | BL | Sonpom Lepcha | ||
| 21 | Loosing-Pachekhani | Nepalis | R. C. Poudyal | ||
| 22 | Khamdong | SC | Kusu Das | ||
| 23 | Djongu | BL | Loden Tsering Lepcha | ||
| 24 | Lachen-Mangshila | Tasa Tengay Lepcha | |||
| 25 | Kabi-Tingda | Kalzang Gyatso Bhutia | Sikkim National Party[13] | ||
| 26 | Rakdong-Tentek | Rinzing Tongden Lepcha | Sikkim National Congress | ||
| 27 | Martam | Shepochung Bhutia | |||
| 28 | Rumtek | Phigu Tshering Bhutia | |||
| 29 | Assam-Lingjey | Dugo Bhutia | |||
| 30 | Ranka | Nim Tshering Lepcha | |||
| 31 | Gangtok | Dorjee Tshering Bhutia | |||
| 32 | Sangha | Sangha | Karma Gonpo Lama | ||
| Source: Sikkim Darbar Gazette[14] | |||||
Council of Ministers edit
The Chogyal appointed the Council of Ministers on 23 July.[15][16]
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Kazi Lhendup Dorjee | Chief Minister |
| Rinzing Tongden Lepcha | Minister |
| Bhawani Prasad Dahal | |
| Dorjee Tshering Bhutia | |
| Krishna Chandra Pradhan |
References edit
- ^ "Verdict in Sikkim". Economic and Political Weekly. 14 (42/43): 1737–1738. 27 October 1979. JSTOR 4368050.
- ^ Sikkim Legislative Assembly: An overview Archived 21 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine Sikkim Assembly
- ^ Gupta, Ranjan (September 1975). "Sikkim: The Merger with India". Asian Survey. 15 (9): 786–798. doi:10.2307/2643174. JSTOR 2643174.
- ^ "The Constitution (Thirty-sixth Amendment) Act, 1975". www.india.gov.in.
... the Assembly for Sikkim formed as a result of the elections held in Sikkim in April, 1974 ... shall be deemed to be the Legislative Assembly of the State of Sikkim
- ^ "AC Sinha" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- ^ "R.C. Poudyal and ANR. Vs. Union of India and ORS" (PDF). Supreme Court of India. 10 February 1993. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
It further recited that the Chogyal as well as the representative of the people had requested the Government of India to assume responsibility ... to provide the head of the administration described as Chief Executive to help and achieve the State's objectives. ... The Chief Executive was to be nominated by the Government of India
- ^ "How Sikkim became a part of India". The Pioneer. 4 November 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
This agreement had significantly curtailed the powers of the Chogyal and laid the grounds for holding fresh elections in April 1974 under the aegis of the Election Commission of India (ECI)
- ^ Bareh, Hamlet (2001). Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Sikkim. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. p. 44. ISBN 81-7099-794-1.
- ^ Bareh, p. 18
- ^ "Sikkim Legislative Assembly". Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
The First Sikkim Assembly formed through the election held in 1974 with 32 members is deemed to be the First Legislative Assembly of Sikkim ... Sikkim Congress led by Kazi Lhendup Dorjee won 31 seats and one seat went in favour of Sikkim National Party.
- ^ "Delimitation of Constituencies, 1974". 5 February 1974. pp. 32–34, 45. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ "List of contesting candidates, 1974". 11 March 1974. pp. 54–55, 68. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ Pem Choden Tenzing (July 2019). Monarchy to Democracy Understanding Political Development in Sikkim, 1970-1994 (Thesis). p. 147. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
...Sikkim Congress Party and the Sikkim National Party would be the two parties to be given reserved symbols, the ladder with seven strings and the Swastika respectively.
- ^ "General Election to Sikkim Assembly, 1974". 20 April 1974. pp. 70–71. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ "Notification No 37/SC". p. 108. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Sikkim Darbar Gazette". Retrieved 1 July 2021.