The Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) will be revisiting Postal Ballot related issues, the role of Party workers and volunteers, among others in the Political process. The ECB have come up with more than 20 issues and recommendations, after their Learning from Experience programme. The programme was held across the Country, after the second parliamentary elections.
During the programme, many said there is a need to reduce the number of Political Party workers and supporters. They pointed out there are no clear roles and responsibilities. A few of them even alleged the party workers as the ones causing communal disharmony. ECB says they will review the need and the roles of the party workers in political process.
ECB will also review the Postal Ballot issues related to rule out any controversy. Learning from Experience programme saw issues of postal ballots being not secretive. It was pointed out that alternative voting arrangements should be made such as allowing voters to vote from places they live.
At the eighth anniversary of the election commission of Bhutan, the Chief Election Commissioner, Dasho Kunzang Wangdi, said the commission will also be carrying out One Stop–Civil Registry and Voter registration. They will do it in collaboration with MoHCA and Dzongkhag Administration to facilitate ease of civil registration and rationalise proper representation and effective voter participation in elections. “It is high time that anomaly of Thimphu with highest population with least representation in parliament and some dzongkhags with many goon-tongs receiving higher representation in elected decision making bodies, due to absentee registered voters to be corrected.”
Dasho Kungzang Wangdi said ECB will review the need for door-to-door election campaign, when common forums and public debates are more effective. Many pointed out door-to-door elections campaigns should not be allowed, as it is very difficult for election officials to monitor.
Some of the other recommendations that ECB will look into are explore options of early and absentee voting, enhance women participation to run for elected posts and adopt cost cutting measures in elections among others.
