The Election Commission of Bhutan is honoured to inform the people of Bhutan that the Second Local Government Elections have started off successfully with the Polls of Phase 1 in the three Dzongkhag Thromdes of Gelegphu, Phuentshogling and Thimphu conducted yesterday, 25th of January 2016. The three Dzongkhag Thromdes have now elected their second Thromde Tshogde.
The Voter Turn-out for the three Thromde Elections was 60.48 % in Gelegphu, 62.75% in Phuentshogling and 31.01% in Thimphu. The details of the Final Results are presented in the Notification No. ECB/CEC/NOTIF-01/2016/3522 Dated 26th of January 2016 and also available on the ECB’s website: http://www.election-bhutan.org.bt/thromde2016.
We would like to report that the Thromde Elections in all three Dzongkhags went smoothly. On the Day of Poll itself, everything went smoothly and there were no major problems encountered in any of the Polling Stations and Counting Centres except in Thimphu where 10 voters had to be facilitated with issue of the updated Voter Photo Identity Cards (VPIC). The nomination of one candidate of Phuentshogling Thromde had to be rejected as she was under-aged during the time of nomination and on 22nd of January 2016, the Election Commission also had to cancel the nomination of one Thrompon candidate of Phuentshogling Thromde for false declaration of documents and the holding of a non-permissible valid business license at the time of filing nomination.
In two Tshogpa Demkhongs namely Namkhaling in Gelegphu Thromde and Phuentshogling Maed in Phuentshogling Thromde which remain vacant with no candidate and further two vacancies of Pakerzhing and Rinchending Demkhongs under Phuentshogling Thromde of Chhukha Dzongkhag for having secured more “No” votes than “Yes” votes. The elections shall be undertaken in these vacant Demkhongs if there are candidates, along-with the 2nd Phase of the Local Government Elections in the 20 Dzongkhags.
In this regard, the general public and all stakeholders are being informed that the elections to the Phase-2 of the Local Governments shall be called sometime in June; Phase-3 in July and finally Phase-4 in November 2016. The 4 phases of the Second Local Government Elections are inevitable due to differing dates of completing term in office.
Specifically, almost all Local Government Elections in the 20 Dzongkhags will be conducted in Phase 2 except for elections in 5 Gewogs of Chhumig (Bumthang), Phuentshogling (Chhukha), Goenshari (Punakha), Sang-Nga-Chholing (Samtse) and Mendrelgang in Tsirang Dzongkhag which will be conducted in Phase 3 and 5 Gewogs of Bjabchhog and Doongna in Chhukha and Samkhar, Bartsham and Uzorong Gewogs in Trashigang Dzongkhags in Phase 4.
For these upcoming elections we urge all stakeholders and those interested to take responsibility to prepare the necessary papers required for nomination purpose and take the Functional Literacy Test to be held in April 2016 in the 20 Dzongkhags as well as identify and motivate potential candidates to prepare for contesting the elections.
The Election Commission of Bhutan attributes the success of these three Thromde Elections to the voters who came to vote, the entire team of dedicated election officials, security personnel and polling officers who worked tirelessly with commitment and enthusiasm. Further, we would like to acknowledge the support rendered by various Ministries, Departments, Dzongkhag/ Dungkhag/ Thromde Administrations and the Media Agencies to the Election Commission in the discharge of its functions.
Above all, the Election Commission of Bhutan offers its deepest gratitude to His Majesty The King, His Majesty the Druk Gyal Zhipa and His Holiness the Je Khenpo and the Monastic Community for their blessings for the successful conduct of the Second Thromde Elections.
