Partnership between the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) began in 2012, with the latter assisting the ECB in development and enhancement of capacity, steered towards delivering civic and electoral education and training services in Bhutan. Within the ECB, the Electoral Education and Training Division, which would soon transform into a full-fledged Electoral Training and Resource Centre (ETRC), would serve as the nodal agency for this task. As stimulated by the ETRC Development Action Plan, which was endorsed by the ECB and recommended during the Political Parties’ and the Stakeholders’ Consultation Workshop of March 2014, the Electoral Forum (EF) would provide the platform to discuss electoral reforms, organize post-election review processes and consultations, to effectively gather views on challenges that need to be addressed. It would further explore alternatives for change and promote reform among key decision makers, thus strengthening and nurturing democratic culture in Bhutan. Meeting twice annually, the forum would deliberate chosen thematic areas.
