This is apparently what election commission officials are working on

Tshering Palden

The National Assembly speaker having accepted Na- nong-Shumar constituency candidate-elect’s resignation from the Parliament, the ball is back in the election commission’s court.

Election Commission of Bhutan officials have been engaged in several lengthy meetings since yesterday to, what they said was, chart out the course of the by-election they would have to conduct in Nanong-Shumar constituency.

Former Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley the candidate-elect from Nanong-Shumar constituency was relieved after assembly speaker accepted his resignation on August 10, after he submitted his resignation on July 31.

Officials of both political parties said they were waiting for an official notification from the election commission to begin preparing for the by-election, the 90 days count down to which began on August 10, the day the resignation was accepted.

Although some People’s Democratic Party officials confirmed it would field their earlier candidate Pema Wang- chuk who lost to the Jigmi Y Thinley on the July 13 election, the party general secretary, Sonam Jatsho said the party could not meet to discuss the issue.

“We have not received any formal notification from the election commission,” he said.

Druk Phuensum Tshogpa has yet to settle on a candidate to contest the by-election.

In an earlier interview, the party vice president and opposition leader Dr Pema

Gyamtsho had said the party would leave it to the people and party representatives in the constituency to decide on the nomination of a candidate.

Druk Phuensum Tshogpa supporter and former Na- nong-Shumar constituency coordinator Sangay Dendup said there were no instructions yet from either the party officials in Thimphu, or from the election commission.

“I have still to hand over the office, but as of now there

is no communication regarding that,” he said.

Chief election commissioner Dasho Kunzang Wangdi said a public notification would be issued at an appropriate time calling elections.

Other election officials said since this was the first time the country was going to conduct a by-election at that level and knowing that it would not be the last, how they went about it would resonate into the future to be used like a yardstick.

Advertisement