Gangtok: An estimated 67.95 per cent of the 4.64 lakh voters exercised their franchise as polling for the 32-member Assembly passed off peacefully in Sikkim on Friday, officials said.
In the lone Lok Sabha seat of the state, the turnout is slightly over 68 per cent.
The voter turnout of 67.95 per cent was 10 per cent lower than the 78.63 per cent votes cast in the 2019 Assembly polls in the Himalayan state, officials said.
The voting percentage in the lone Lok Sabha seat stood at 68.06 per cent as against 81.41 per cent in 2019.
There are differences between turnouts of Lok Sabha and Assembly polls as a number of voters did not take part in both elections.
Though the polling ended at 5 pm, long queues of voters were seen at several polling booths at that time and they will be allowed to cast their votes as per the EC guidelines.
Officials said the final voting percentage may go up.
No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state, officials said.
As many as 13 companies of the central force, besides an adequate number of Sikkim police personnel were deployed to supervise the elections.
A total of 146 candidates, including Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, his predecessor Pawan Kumar Chamling, former India Football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, and Tamang’s wife Krishna Kumari Rai are in the fray for 32 assembly constituencies.
Sitting Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba and SDF’s PD Rai are among 14 candidates in the lone Lok Sabha seat.
Tamang and Chamling are contesting from two Assembly constituencies each.
The result of the Assembly elections will be declared on June 2 while that of the Lok Sabha elections will be out on June 4.