Securing 2,636 votes, the former journalist with Bhutan Broadcasting Service, Surjaman Thapa, is Dagana’s National Council elect.

A 33-year-old won because of the overwhelming support he received through postal ballots. He secured 842 postal ballots. 

Birendra Chimoria from Tsendagang gewog secured the highest number of votes from the electronic voting machine (EVM). He secured 1,833 votes while Surjaman Thapa secured 1,794 votes from EVM.

However, he couldn’t win the elections because he managed to secure only 561 postal ballots. 

Surjaman Thapa said he is overwhelmed by the support the people of Dagana gave him.

“I thank each and every one in Dagana for electing me and I will never let their faith and trust down. I will always work in fulfilling the dreams and aspirations of people,” he said.

He added that having worked in the nook and corners of the country, he understood the people at all level and he will try to represent them better.

Dagana had a total of 24,200 eligible voters, 12,128 male and 12,072 female. The voter turn out was 13,957.

Karmaling gewog’s Birkha Bahadur Subba secured 703 votes from EVM and 222 postal ballots.

The candidate from Karna gewog, Dawa Rigyel, secured 1,975 votes, 1,548 from the EVM and 333 postal ballots. 

Larjab gewog’s candidate, San Man Gurung secured 1,060 votes. He managed to secure 866 votes from the EVM and 194 postal ballots.

The candidate from Pangna gewog, Kinzang Gyeltshen secured 1,115 votes, including 334 postal ballots and 781 EVM votes.

Khebisa gewog’s candidate, Sangay Thinley secured 648 EVM votes and 205 postal ballots.

In Lhamoizingkha, the candidate Suraj Pradhan secured 920 EVM votes and 171 postal ballots. 

Tseza gewog candidate Tenzin Samdrup secured 1,107 EVM votes and 248 postal ballots. 

The candidate from Dorona gewog, Wangdi, secured the least votes. He got only 801 votes, including 140 postal ballots. 

Meanwhile, the poll day was successful except for the EVM battery problem in the Sidpa polling station under Larjab gewog. Here, the polling officers had to replace the EVM after 65 people voted. Election officials claimed the technical glitch did not hamper in compiling the votes.

From the total of 3,491 postal votes received, only one got rejected from the facilitation booth ballot and 146 from the armed forces, overseas and conventional postal ballots.

The returning officer, Thinley Phuntsho, said the postal ballots were mainly rejected because of the identity declaration certificate where the voters failed to have a competent witness.

Yeshey Dema | Dagana

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