They were the first elections in Sikkim to be held on the basis of universal suffrage, and also the last prior to Indian annexation.

[1] The result was a victory for the Sikkim National Congress, which won 31 of the 32 seats in the State Council.

Political parties and members of the public demanded one man, one vote.

On 8 May 1973 a tripartite agreement was signed between the Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, political parties and the government of India.

The 31 territorial constituencies were allocated as 15 for Nepalis, 15 for the Bhutia-Lepcha and one for scheduled castes, under a parity formula.