Gangtok: Ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) swept the panchayat polls in the state bagging 830 'gram' (village) panchayat wards (GPW), said the state election commission (SEC) on October 10 night.

Re-polling was ordered in one GPW on October 12 for a "technical problem" in printing ballot papers, SEC said.

Opposition parties in the state, especially Sikkim Sangram Parishad of former Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari, virtually boycotted the polls to protest what they called "politicalisation" of the Panchayats by the ruling SDF.

Congress had, however, in a last minute change of mind fielded a few candidates.

SDF nominees won 223 out of 255 GPWs in South district, while Independents bagged 31 and re-polling ordered in one. The ruling party bagged all the 24 'zilla panchayat taluk committees' (ZPTCs) in the district, the sources said.

In East district, 244 GPWs were won by SDF while 29 by Independents out of a total 273. In four wards, where bye-poll was ordered earlier, SDF won unopposed. Front nominees polls were held in the rest two, the sources added.

PTI