Poll day for Primary Round NA Elections scheduled for 30th November

The primary round of the National Assembly elections will be held on the 30^th of this month. The Election Commission announced the dates this morning in keeping with the Royal Decree His Majesty The King issued last month. The general round is scheduled for 9^th January, next year. The Commission also released the overall schedule for the NA elections.

As per the ECB’s notification, the Returning Officers will start sending postal ballots on Monday.

Monday is also the last date for any political party to withdraw from the contest.

The election campaign funds for the political parties are to be released on Tuesday. During the 2018 NA elections, the ECB spent, on average, over Nu 7 M on each political party for the primary round. The common forums will also begin on Tuesday.

According to the ECB, the parties have to end their election campaigns at 8 AM on the 28th of November, which is two days before the poll day.

The last day for receiving postal ballots is scheduled for the 29^th of November.

The results of the primary round are scheduled to be announced a day after the poll day.

The two parties securing the highest and the second highest total number of votes will start filing nominations of candidates for 47 National Assembly Demkhongs from 4^th December till 9^th December.

The last date for the withdrawal of candidature will be on the 12^th of December. The election campaign fund for the general round will be released the next day. According to State Finance and Election Returns report on the Election Campaign, the ECB spent close to Nu 260,000 on each candidate during the general round of the 2018 NA elections.

The common forum and public debate for candidates contesting the general round will commence on 14^th December.

The election campaign period for the general round will end on 7^th January and 8^th January will be the last day for receiving postal ballots.

Meanwhile, the Poll Day for the General round will be held on 9^th January. And the results will be declared the next day.

The election petition period begins on the 10^th of January and ends on the 24^th of January.

Kinzang Lhadon

Edited by Phub Gyem