Gangtok/Itanagar, June 1 Counting of votes polled for the 32-member Sikkim Assembly and 50 seats of the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly will begin at 6 a.m. on Sunday.
In Sikkim, which recorded 79.77 per cent turnout of its 4,64 lakh voters in the Assembly elections and 80.03 per cent in the Parliamentary polls held simultaneously, the main fight is between the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), led by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, and the Sikkim Democratic Front of Pawan Kumar Chamling, who was the Chief Minister of the Himalayan state from 1993 to 2019.
The BJP also contested in 31 seats, and the Congress in 12.
According to a statement issued by Chief Electoral Officer D. Anandan, the counting of votes will be held at six designated centres at schools/government offices in Gyalshing, Soreng, Namchi, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Mangan districts.
In Arunachal Pradesh, election officials said that 24 counting centres (48 counting halls) have been set up in 25 districts and three-tier security arrangements have been put in place in and around these centres with the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) taking the lead.
Over 2,000 officials have been deployed for the vote counting and the Election Commission has appointed 27 counting observers to supervise the process.
Chief Electoral Officer Pawan Kumar Sain on Friday visited various districts to inspect and take stock of the arrangements at the strong rooms and counting halls.
Addressing the media on Saturday, he said the results of all the 50 Assembly seats are expected to be declared by noon.
Around 78 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the Parliamentary polls and 83 per cent in the Assembly elections in Arunachal, again held simultaneously on April 19 in the first phase.
Altogether, 133 candidates were in the fray for the 50 Assembly seats and 14 contestants for the two parliamentary constituencies -- Arunachal West and Arunachal East.
Before the April 19 polls, 10 BJP candidates, including Chief Minister Pema Khandu (Mukto) and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein (Chowkham), were elected to the Assembly unopposed.
Counting of votes for the Parliamentary polls will be held on June 4, along with the rest of the country.
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