10 to 15 pc polling in Sikkim during initial hours

An estimated 10 to 15 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in the first three hours of assembly elections in Sikkim.

An estimated 10 to 15 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in the first three hours of polling in Sikkim, simultaneously held for the 32 assembly and lone Lok Sabha seat.

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"Polling is going on peacefully amid tight security in 349 polling stations with 10 to 15 per cent polling recorded at 1000 hrs ", Deputy Chief Electoral Officer C P Dhakal old PTI.

Women voters outnumbered men at most of the polling booths. The voters turn-out was impressive in the rural areas as well.

Voters did not have any problem casting their ballot on the EVMs being used for the first time in the state, the official sources said.

The market area in Gangtok wore a deserted look with shop owners closing their establishments to make a beeline to the polling booths to cast their votes.

A 2,81,629 strong electorate will decide the fate of 91 candidates for the assembly and four for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state including the Chief Minister and SDF president Pawan Chamling and his bete noir former Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari of Congress.