The Wangdue Phodrang District Election Dispute Settlement Body has fined and warned the Bhutan Tendrel Party for violating the Election Act. The dispute settlement body also warned and fined two individuals from Athang and Phangyuel Gewogs for violating the Election Act. The decisions were issued, today, after investigating the complaints received from the PDP’s Nyishog_Saephu candidate.
The decision states that taking cognizance of the nature of the BTP President, Pema Chewang’s campaign meeting at Phobjikha on the 18th of December, the party was fined Nu 75,000.
In addition, the dispute settlement body also found that the BTP President had defamed the People’s Democratic Party by accusing its President, Tshering Tobgay, of corruption and lies.
This, according to the decision violates section 294 of the Election Act, which states that “every political party, candidate, and their representatives at all forums and at all times shall avoid defamatory and derogatory attacks on rival parties or individual personalities through any form of communication and avoid the use of inflammatory language, provocative actions, images or manifestation that incite violence, hatred or intimidation against another party or candidate or any person or group of persons.”
Similarly, the District Election Dispute Settlement Body also fined and issued warnings to Adap Pasang Tshering and Chado Namgyel for campaigning for the Bhutan Tendrel Party during a campaign meeting at Phobjikha and Sephu Gewogs.
The dispute settlement body’s decision also states that they were neither members of the party nor authorised individuals to campaign for the party, which is in violation of section 534 of the Election Act.
They have been imposed a fine of Nu 15,000 each.
Any parties dissatisfied with the decisions can appeal to the Central Election Dispute Settlement Body within five days.
Tshering Zam/Phub Gyem
