Sikkim gears up for 2026 municipal elections with new wards and revised electoral rolls

The State Election Commission (SEC) of Sikkim has begun preparations for the 2026 Municipal Elections, starting with a meeting chaired by State Election Commissioner Shri K.C. Lepcha and attended by senior officials from various government departments, including District Collectors-cum-Returning Officers, Superintendents of Police, Municipal Electoral Registration Officers, department heads, and National Informatics Centre officials. 

 

The State Election Commissioner called the gathering an important step toward ensuring smooth and timely conduct of the municipal elections.

 

He stated that the election process must be completed before May 5, 2026, giving the Commission about two and a half months for all necessary preparations. This timeframe will steer all planning and operational steps leading up to the polls.

 

The main purpose of the meeting was to brief district-level officers and agencies about the election roadmap and assign responsibilities for each stage. Preparations include detailed allocation of roles and a shared understanding of the election process.

 

The Commission has already completed the delimitation of municipal areas and wards, and the State Government has issued the required notifications. This follows a delimitation exercise aimed at bringing greater accuracy and representation to the municipal framework.

 

Electoral rolls are a key requirement for the reservation process and overall election preparation. The State Election Commission had requested electoral roll data from the Election Commission of India (ECI), and the required information has now been received. With this data, the Commission will proceed according to municipal election rules and issue further notifications in the coming weeks.

 

The first major step will be the revision of electoral rolls, and citizens have been asked to cooperate during the process. Government departments, district administrations, and field-level officials have also been asked to extend full support to ensure the work is completed on schedule. The first phase includes preparation of software and technical arrangements.

 

 

From February 10 to February 17, 2026, ward-wise segregation of electoral rolls from the Assembly electoral rolls will be carried out by Municipal Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers in coordination with the NIC. The integration process will take place from February 18 to February 24, 2026. After this, the draft electoral rolls will be published on February 25, 2026. Once published, the public will have an opportunity to file claims and objections regarding entries, which officials will examine and correct as necessary. Final printing and publication are scheduled for completion by March 18, 2026. This schedule is intended to ensure all preparatory work is completed well in advance of the election notification.

 

The Commissioner also informed that structural changes have been made in the municipal setup following the recent delimitation exercise. Two new Urban Local Bodies have been added for the 2026 municipal elections, including Pakyong, and some municipal wards have been reorganised due to an increase in the number of voters. In Gangtok district, the Burtuk area has been divided into two wards due to a rise in voter population. Similarly, Lower Siche has been reorganised into Lower Siche-I and Lower Siche-II, and the Singtam area has also been restructured into separate wards. With these changes, the total number of municipal wards in the state has increased from 51 to 63 for the upcoming elections.

 

The State Election Commissioner emphasised that cooperation from citizens, government institutions, and election officials will be essential for conducting the elections smoothly and on time. He expressed confidence that with proper coordination and timely action, the state would be able to complete all preparations within the scheduled period and conduct the Municipal Elections 2026 in an orderly and transparent manner.