Bhutan's tryst with democracy begins with mock polls

Bhutan
Bhutan's tryst with democracy begins with mock polls
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS, Apr 21, 2007 - 7:31:46 PM

Samdrup Jongkhar -, April 21 - The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan Saturday staged a 'dummy' election designed as a warm-up for the first general elections next year with voters in large numbers casting their ballots.

'The historic vote ended with the overall turnout being brisk and very positive. We are compiling figures and a final voter's turnout would be available later,' Dasho Kunzang Wangdi, Bhutan's chief election commissioner, told IANS by telephone from the capital, Thimphu.

The two-phased mock elections Saturday and May 28 was aimed at familiarising voters and officials with election procedures ahead of the first general elections in 2008 when the kingdom converts into a parliamentary democracy.

'We are greatly enthused by the response of the people of Bhutan towards this mock election,' Wangdi said.

An estimated 400,000 people were eligible to vote in 47 parliamentary constituencies. In the final round of polls May 28, people would vote for candidates of the two top parties that emerge victorious in the first round.

Real elections for a new parliament are due to be held in 2008, the culmination of a plan by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who handed his crown to his young Oxford-educated son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in December to change with the times and relinquish absolute rule.

'The dummy elections helped us to sensitise the people and all our officials for the real polls next year,' the chief election commissioner said. Men in colourful 'khos', full-sleeved robes tied at the waist, and women dressed in 'kiras', sarong-like wraps, lined up at polling stations in the Bhutanese town of Samdrup Jongkhar on the border with India, some 370 km southeast of Thimphu.

Voting ended at 5 p.m. -, with election observers from India, the United Nations and Australia monitoring the proceedings. Results are expected late Saturday, but with mock parties set up - the Druk - Blue Party, the Druk Green Party, the Druk Red Party and the Druk Yellow Party - the outcome will reveal little about next year's winner.

'I was among the first to cast my vote and the feeling was one of excitement. I know what we did today was historic as very soon we are going to usher in democracy and bid goodbye to monarchy,' Pema Dorjee, a poultry farmer, said.

Monks tonsured and clad in maroon robes prayers at monasteries by lighting butter lamps as Bhutan marches towards democracy. 'This is a good sign for the country and we hope democracy ushers in all round prosperity,' Den Lama, a young Buddhist monk, said.

Members of the royal family and those directly associated with religious institutions are not allowed to vote.

The 26-year-old King is camping in his ancestral village of Tungkar in Lhuntse district of northeastern Bhutan, a remote area that takes two days drive from Thimphu.

'The king is there to encourage the people to vote and personally witness the first democratic process,' the Chief Election Commissioner said. While many of the young Bhutanese are excited about the vote, some of the older people are still confused.

'We don't know if politics is good for Bhutan. We still have faith in the monarchy,' said 65-year-old P. Dendup, a retired government official.

'The two parties which get the highest number of votes Saturday will go on to contest the final round,' Wangdi said of the process, intended to mirror the real polls next year.

Jigme Singye Wangchuck last December abdicated the throne in favour of his eldest son. The transition began in 2001 when the former king handed over the powers of daily government to a council of ministers and empowered the National Assembly to force a royal abdication if three-quarters of its membership backed the motion.

Bhutan in 2004 unveiled a 34-point constitution and the same was sent to some 530,000 citizens for their views. The constitution is expected to be ratified after a referendum later this year. Once adopted, the constitution will replace a royal decree of 1953 giving the monarch absolute power.

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