Primary Round of election to the National Assembly 2013 completed

KalimNews, PR, Thimpu: Election Commission of Bhutan has declared the results of the Primary Round of election to the National Assembly 2013.The Polls for the Primary Round of elections to the National Assembly 2013 in the 47 National Assembly Demkhongs of the twenty Dzongkhags were successfully conducted yesterday, the 31st of May 2013. 

Four registered Political Parties contested in the Primary Round of elections and have received the support and approval of the electorate.Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT)'s total votes was 44.52% while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) received 32.53% votes. The Druk Chirwang Tshogpa (DCT) received 5.9% and Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) recieved 17.0% votes. 

The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), having secured the Highest number of valid votes cast and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) receiving the Second Highest number of valid votes cast shall contest the General Election and take the place of honour in Second Parliament of the Kingdom of Bhutan as the Ruling Party and Opposition Party, a press release of the commission stated. 

211,018 voters ie 55.27.% of the total registered voters in the country turned out and cast their votes for the Party of their choice and added their individual signatures to determine the outcome of yesterday’s Polls which will be recorded in history of the Nation as the first-ever Primary Round Polls held under the Drugi Tsathrim Chhenmo. 

The participating Political Parties campaigned keenly to inform, communicate and interact with the public. The State support to election campaign, as provided under the Constitution and the Electoral Laws, ensured that the electorate had access to information on each Party’s ideology and campaign manifesto, leadership and Candidate-designates. 

Apart from the meetings called by individual Parties in the Dzongkhags, a total of 323 Common Forums for campaign by all Political Parties were organized through the length and breadth of the country with one in each of the 47 Demkhongs broadcast by BBS TV for the benefit of the general public, besides the two rounds of Public Debate of the Party Presidents and representatives. 

Of the total votes cast, 82% were cast on the EVM and 18% through Postal Ballot. Concerted efforts were made in every Dzongkhag to educate and support the Postal Voters through practical Postal Ballot Clinics; instructional communications disseminated through the mass media at critical stages; provision in the postal ballot applications for the applicants to give their telephone numbers where the Returning Officers could contact and get them to rectify the mistakes to validate the applications; the appointment of an additional ARO in Head Office as well as revisiting the procedures to cut down delivery time in country and abroad. 

Eighteen voters in Haa and five in Lhuentse who could not go to their assigned Polling Stations due to bridges being washed away or road blocked were allowed to vote in the other Polling Station where they were willing to travel and cast their vote. 

With the formal declaration of the Results of the Primary Round Polls, the Election Commission shall invite the two Political Parties securing the Highest and Second Highest total number of votes polled in the 20 Dzongkhags to formally nominate one Candidate each to contest the General Elections in the 47 National Assembly Demkhongs from the accepted Tentative List submitted in the Letter of Intent. 

The Nomination Papers shall be submitted by a Candidate nominated to contest the General Elections starting from today with the last date for filing nominations on 11th of June 2013 to the respective Returning Officer, as notified earlier vide notification ECB/NOTIF-01/2013/3403 dated 29th of April 2013, calling elections to the National Assembly. 

The Election Commission of Bhutan looks forward to working together in the conduct of the General Election to the National Assembly, with the Poll Day on 13th of July 2013.