The poll day for the by-election of Nanong-Shumar constituency will be held in early November. The Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) states that by-election process shall begin in early October, with the issuance of a Royal decree by His Majesty the King.
The announcement comes after ECB has received the Writ for election from the National Assembly Speaker declaring the Nanong-Shumar constituency as vacant.
The Assembly accepted the resignation of the former MP-elect, Jigmi Y Thinley, on August 11.
The ECB says they have look into the best time for the by-election. The Commission initially has considered the poll day as early as September, taking into account the need for the representative from the first session of the Parliament and take part in 11th Five Year Plan approval.
However, the ECB says they also had to look at factors like August and September being agriculture season, weather favourability for travel and importance for electorates to have time to absorb the implications of the resignation of the MP-elect. By doing so the ECB had to rule out the first option, the press release stated.
The ECB says that the timing will give voters enough time to devote on issues related to vacancy and the by-election. And the aspirant’s candidates also will get time to prepare.
The Commission says that the by-election will be contested between two candidates of DPT and PDP.
Meanwhile, the DPT says the Party has not decided their candidate so far. And PDP also says that they have formally not decided the candidate. They, however, added that it will most likely be their former candidate, Pema Wangchuk.
