Sikkim-Arunachal Pradesh assembly polls: counting for votes begin amid heavy security

Counting of votes for 32 assembly seats in Sikkim and 50 in Arunachal Pradesh began on Sunday, amid tight security arrangements, officials said.

Assembly and Lok Sabha elections were held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim in the first phase of polls on April 19.

Postal ballots will be taken up first for counting while votes in the EVMs will be counted later, officials said.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, his spouse Krishna Kumari Rai, ex-Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, former Indian footballer and SDF leader Bhaichung Bhatia, state BJP president DR Thapa, Speaker Arun Upreti and senior minister Lunga Nima Lepcha are the prominent candidates among 146 nominees.

Tamang and Chamling are contesting from two assembly constituencies.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP had won both the Lok Sabha seats and 41 assembly constituencies in the 2019 polls. The JD (U) had won seven assembly seats, the NPP five, Congress four and the PPA one. Two Independent candidates had also emerged victorious.

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