Bhutan will take its first major step in embracing democracy on Monday when elections will be held to the landlocked country's upper house, monitored by international observers.
THIMPHU: Bhutan will take its first major step in embracing democracy on Monday when elections will be held to the landlocked country's upper house, monitored by international observers, including from India and the UN.
"We are ready for the National Council (NC) polls tomorrow. All the fundamental machineries are in place," Bhutan's Chief Election Commissioner Kunzang Wangdi said.
"We will not have elections in five constituencies (Haa, Gasa, Thimphu, Lhuentse and Trashiyangtse) tomorrow as they have only single candidates or none. Polling in these constituencies will be held on January 29," Wangdi said in an interview.
According to Wangdi, the mood in the country is lively as 'everyone is optimistic of getting the best system of governance'.
The NC has 20 seats to be filled up through direct election by the voters and five to be filled up by five eminent nominees of the king.
"Forty-four candidates will contest the 15 seats," he said. Of 312,817 registered voters for the NC election, 269,963 people from 15 districts will be eligible to exercise their franchise at 723 polling stations to elect 15 members to the upper house of Parliament.
The King would nominate five additional members to the council whereas election in five constituencies has been postponed.
A national holiday has been declared on Monday. Polling will begin at 8 am and close at 4 pm. International observers, including from India and the UN, will monitor the polls.
Tight security arrangements have been put in place for Monday's polls. The Bhutan-India border will remain sealed for 36 hours from 6 pm today to 6 am on January one.
Additional troops would be deployed along sensitive areas to check the movement of northeast rebels.
Bhutan's transition to democracy began in 2001 when former king Jigme Singye Wangchuk handed over the powers of daily governance to a council of ministers.
Last year, he abdicated the throne in favour of his Oxford-educated son Jigme Khesar Namgyel.
In the run-up to the polls, two rounds of dummy elections were held in April and May in which the Bhutanese voted for traditional values.
"Through the mock poll, the people's initial resistance (of not accepting democracy totally) was genuine. Now since the NC elections are on and political parties are visible, everyone is prepared and accepting the new process," Wangdi said.
Representatives of two parties -- Peoples' Democratic Party and Druk Phuensum Tshogpa -- will contest Monday's elections.
For the National Assembly (NA) or election to the lower house, the entire country is being divided into 47 constituencies. The NA will have 75 members.
"Each constituency will return one MP to Parliament. For the NC each dzongkhag (district) is one constituency," he said.
Notification for the NA elections will be issued soon. The polls will pave the way for a two-party system in the country.
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