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Bhutan's Development UN |
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Bhutan Information |
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| United
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| Bhutan
Elections: Fact Sheet 2008 |
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National
Assembly election results
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There
were no incidents reported; voting began at 9am and closed at 5pm. Results
from constituencies started arriving by 6pm and ended by 8pm. |
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There
were a few hitches according to the Election Commission of Bhutan such
as: voters turning up at wrong polling stations; incidences of lost voter
cards (VPICs); incidences of voters turning up without their VPICs; voters
turning up at wrong constituencies; some who applied to vote by postal
ballot arriving in person to vote; one incident where the spare Electronic
Voting Machine had to be used due to malfunctioning of the other; |
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Druk
Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) or Bhutan United Party won 45 of the 47 seats for
the lower House of Parliament |
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Voter
turnout was 79.4% which is 253,012 voters out of the registered 318,465
voters |
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Female
voters turn out: 161,169 and male voters: 157,296 |
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Nine
Lhotshampa candidates were elected; all of them for DPT |
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Four
women have been elected, all of them from DPT ( the two parties had nominated
10 women candidates) |
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Overview
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The
tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, the world's youngest democracy, held
its first ever multi-party democratic elections on 24 March 2008 to elect
a National Assembly - a key step in its transition to democracy over the
past three decades. |
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This
transition is unique as the country moves peacefully from a benevolent
monarchy to a system of governance that puts people at the centre of decisionmaking. |
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The
United Nations has supported the democratization process in Bhutan through
civic education, by promoting transparent and accountable government structures
and strengthening a vibrant and independent media. |
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Background
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The
move to a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy and the process of devolution
of executive powers was initiated by the former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck
in 1998. |
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In
November 2001, the drafting began of the country's first written constitution,
based on the principles of democratic governance with the separation of
legislative, executive and judicial powers. |
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The
Chief Election Commissioner Dasho Kunzang Wangdi was appointed to run the
election in December 2005 and the Election Commission was established in
January 2006, comprising an additional two Election Commissioners and a
secretariat. Its responsibilities include preparing the national electoral
rolls, carrying out voter and civic education and training electoral officers. |
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Mock
elections were held in April and May 2007 to familiarize voters with the
concept of a parliamentary democracy and practicalities of a voting process
including the use of the electronic voting machines. |
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The
National Council Elections were then held in December 2007 and January
2008, electing twenty members to the upper house of Parliament. |
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Facts
& statistics:
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Bhutan
covers an area of 38,394 sq km (14,824 sq miles). |
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The
total population of Bhutan is 762,035 (2015, National statistics Bureau,
Bhutan) |
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Bhutan
ranks number 133 out of 177 countries on the United Nations Development
Programme's (UNDP) 2007 Human Development Index. |
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Bhutan
is divided in 47 constituencies for the National Assembly Elections. |
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Two
political parties are registered to contest the 24 March 2008 elections.
They are the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT - Bhutan United Party) with the
election symbol of cranes (the bird) and the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) which has a horse as its symbol. |
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Each
party is contesting all 47 seats in the National Assembly Elections, the
lower house of parliament. |
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Bhutan
has adopted the first past the post system. |
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318,465
people are registered to vote in the National Assembly Election - with
3,873 more women voters than men. |
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The
Election Commission is headed by Dasho Kunzang Wangdi, the Chief Election
Commissioner and includes two Election Commissioners, Aum Deki Pema and
Dasho Chogyal Dago Rigdzin. The Election Commission has been established
as an independent body. |
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The
Election Commission of Bhutan has estimated the cost for the National Assembly
Elections as $1.8 million. |
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Staff
working on the elections include:
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5184 civil servants working as Presiding and Polling Officers
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47 Returning and eight Assistant Returning Officers
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51 National Observers
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15 European Union Electoral Observers and 15 Observers from Australia,
Canada, Denmark, India, Japan and the United States of America will serve
as International Election Observers during the National Assembly Elections. |
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864
polling stations have been set up for the National Assembly Elections. |
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Voters
will use Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) to cast their ballot. |
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In
the National Council Elections voter turnout was 53%. |
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Counting
of votes will begin on 24 March after polling ends at 5 pm and results
will be known the same evening. These results will be presented to the
King and announced formally on 25 March 2008. |
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| Source:
UNDP Bhutan: Updated 25 March 2008 |
| Information on Bhutan |
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