EC assures free and fair elections in Sikkim

Gangtok, 2 April: Election Commissioner Navin B. Chawla today assured the political parties here that the Election Commission will take all necessary measures for conduct of a free and fair assembly and parliamentary polls in Sikkim.
Sikkim goes to poll on April 30.

The high level ECI team is in Sikkim for a two day visit to take an assessment of the preparations for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the State.
During an hour long meeting with the representatives of the recognized national and regional political parties on an individual basis at Tashiling Secretariat, the EC told the political parties that all necessary measures will be put into place for the conduct of the Assembly and Parliamentary polls in the Himalayan State.

Mr. Chawla is accompanied by deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan and legal advisor SK Mandiratha.

The parties attending the meet were the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), Congress, BJP, CPIM and NCP. Each party was given ten minutes to meet the ECI team individually for submitting their views and grievances.

While, the representatives of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) in their meeting with the Central Election officials were reported to have expressed satisfaction with the arrangements for the forthcoming polls, the opposition parties expressed their concerns about the fairness of the ongoing poll process in the state.

Expressing their concerns on a wide range of electoral process, the opposition parties demanded that the poll panel should take preventive measures to assuage their fears.
The EC assured the opposition parties that he will look into the specific charges.

The poll panel team will meet the top civil and police officers, including the Chief Secretary ND Chingapa, Director General of Police (DGP) CM Ravindran and Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) TT Dorji tomorrow next to review poll preparedness for the forthcoming polls.