In keeping with Section 457 of the Election Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2008, the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) formally declared the results of the three Thromde Tshogdes in Gelegphu, Phuentshogling and Thimphu today. The ECB recorded voter turn out at 59.46 per cent, which is an increase of more than 22 per cent compared to the last Thromde elections.
In 2016, the voter turn out was 37.25 per cent.
The election was held yesterday. Of the total registered voters of over 10,500 in three thromdes, more than 6,200 voted in this election.
38-year-old Tshering Norbu is elected from Gelegphu Thromde. The Thrompon elect contested for the same seat in 2016 and also contested in the National Council elections, 2018. He surpassed the former Thrompon, Tikaram Kafley, in a landslide victory by securing 713 votes against the former Thrompon’s 375 votes. Meanwhile, the former Phuentshogling Thrompon was re-elected for the second term with 336 votes in his favour defeating the three other candidates.
Former Thimphu Thrompon Kinlay Dorji lost to the former Deputy Chief Urban Planner, Ugyen Dorji in Thimphu Thromde by 62 votes. Prior to the elections, there was speculation that the former Thrompon will have an edge over Thrompon elect Ugyen Dorji and Thrompon candidate Sonam Dorji since he was the lone candidate from the south and there were two candidates from the north. People thought that support from the north will be split between the two candidates, while the majority from the south will support the former Thrompon.
Meanwhile, the post of Thromde Tshogpa of Motithang constituency under Thimphu Thromde and Trashiling constituency under Gelegphug Thromde will remain vacant. The aspiring candidates for these two constituencies were disqualified by the commission after it found they were registered as members of the political parties. The elections for the Samdrup Jongkhar thromde are due in September or October as the first election in the thromde was delayed.
Choni Dema
