More than two hundred Lunaps will cast their votes from Punakha during the third Local Government elections this month. This comes after the Election Commission’s arrangement of initiating a Postal Ballot Facilitation Booth for their convenience. For decades, Punakha has been a home for the highlanders of Lunana during winter.
Winter has come and the grazing lands in Changyul in Punakha is filled up with horses and mules from Lunana Gewog in Gasa. Every winter, to escape the harsh cold weather, the Lunaps travel to the warmer places with their animals in search of fodder and to restock their rations.
And as they descend to the warmer area, they are all smiles. But this time, they are not just happy but relieved that they won’t miss the opportunity to cast their votes for the LG elections.
Eligible voters who are currently in Punakha said the ECB’s arrangement put an end to their concerns of missing the option to vote.
“We were worried whether we would be able to cast our votes as we migrate to Punakha during winter. However, the Election Commission decided to let those of us whose names were listed during the Dhamngoi Zomdu to cast votes from Punakha. We are happy and grateful for this arrangement,” said Phutu, a voter of Lunana.
“In the past, we had to be in our hometown in Lunana to cast our votes. And during winter it was difficult and inconvenient. So, we are extremely grateful for this arrangement,” said Gyem Bidha, another voter.
Lhab Tshering added, “This election is immensely important to us. However, for people like us, it would be inconvenient to travel back all the way back to vote. But the decision to let us vote from here was music to our ears.”
“If not for this arrangement, it would have incurred us a huge expenditure. This is because half of our family members are here and half in Lunana. It would be expensive to go back home in a chopper and inconvenient to take our horses back,” said Karma.
For many Lunaps, they have found a second home in Punakha. While some rent houses during the migration phase, many have built houses in and around Punakha to beat the harsh cold weather.
The ECB initiated the Postal Ballot Facilitation Booth to ease voting process and to increase the voter turnout in 2018.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
Edited by Sonam Pem
