90 % victory for SDF party

Gangtok, Oct 29 (UNI) The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) today stamped its authority in the state's rural belt by recording 90 per cent of the votes after the results of Panchayat elections were announced by the State Election Commission.

The SDF won 219 Gram Panchayat seats out of the it had ontested 304, taking its total to 804 seats. It had already won 585 seats uncontested. There are 889 Gram Panchayat seats in the state.

The Opposition parties, including the Congress,managed to win one Gram Panchayat seat in the entire state. However, independent candidates made a dent by bagging 84 seats.

The victory spree continued for SDF in the Zilla Panchayat as well. The party added another 40 seats to its already uncontested 46 seats taking the total to 86 out of 93 Zilla Panchayat seats.

Independent candidates managed to win seven Zilla Panchayat seats.

Elections for one Zilla Panchayat seat in Navey-Sothak, East Sikkim will be held later in November.

Meanwhile, the State Election Commission (SEC) has authorized the DCs of each district as presiding officers in their respective districts for administrating the oath of affirmation in accordance with Section 104 of the Sikkim Panchayat Act, 1997.

The DCs will be presiding over the meetings of the Gram Panchayats and Zilla Panchayats and election of Sabhapati, Upa-Sabhapati and Sachiva of Gram Panchayats on November 6 and Adhyaksha and Upa Adhyaksha of Zilla Panchayats on November 5.

UNI