If Wangdue Phodrang’s selection process is any indication, an increasing number of university graduates want to become local leaders. The district will see 12 graduates vying for the post of Gup and Mangmi during the upcoming local government election. The selection procedure for the LG election in Wangdue Phodrang ended on Tuesday. The people there will go to polls next month to choose gups and mangmis from about 100 aspiring candidates.
In the last 12 days, the people of Wangdue Phodrang selected 44 aspiring gups. Of it nine are former gups. The district also selected 55 candidates for the post of Mangmi including 15 former tshogpas and eight women.
136 individuals contested during the selection procedure.
Ruebisa gewog which has the highest registered voters saw the highest turnout with almost 1000 individuals attending the selection process. The gewog has more than 2200 registered voters. Gase Tshowom gewog which has the lowest registered voters with close to 600 individuals saw the lowest turnout. Close to 200 individuals attended the selection procedure in the gewog.
Overall, 8649 eligible voters attended the selection process in Wangdue Phodrang. The district has more than 21,000 registered voters.
The district plans to set up 15 Postal Ballot Facilitation Booth for the local government election. There will also be mobile voting booth for elderly and people living with disabilities.
Meanwhile, two aspiring candidates for Thromde Ngotshab have submitted their nomination documents to the office of the Returning Officer.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
