The voter turnout of 67.95 per cent was 10 per cent lower than the 78.63 per cent votes cast in the 2019 assembly polls in the Himalayan state, officials said.

More than 49 per cent of total 8.56 lakh voters in Mizoram and over 50 per cent of the 4.64 lakh voters in Sikkim exercised their franchise for each of their single Lok Sabha seats till 3 pm on Friday, election officials said. In Sikkim voters also exercised their franchise for the 32 Assembly seats.

92 Assembly seats and 3 Lok Sabha seats from Arunachal & Sikkim go to polls on Friday.

This analysis reveals a significant increase compared to the 2019 Sikkim Legislative Assembly elections, where 43 percent of the candidates were millionaires out of a pool of 150 contestants.

Elections for the 32-member Sikkim Assembly and the lone Lok Sabha seat are scheduled for April 19, setting the stage for a keenly contested electoral battle.

A total of 147 candidates are vying for 32 assembly constituencies in Sikkim as five nominations have been withdrawn, an official said on Saturday. The assembly elections in the Himalayan state will be held on April 19.