Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Election Commission of India
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Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Election Commission of India
(24th - 25th January 2010, New Delhi)
Bhutan’s First Parliamentary Elections: some interesting instances
Presented
at
Symposium on International Conference on Best Electoral Practices
by
Dasho Kunzang Wangdi,
Chief Election Commissioner of Bhutan
INTRODUCTION
The Kingdom of Bhutan is a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy. Situated between the two
giant Asian nations, Bhutan is one of the smallest nations in the subcontinent. It has a small
population but its economy is growing rapidly with the quality of life and well-being of the
people being given the highest priority. The demographic pushes, ecological and environmental
hazards and global warming require the nation to be on vigil against being on the endangered
list. It is not a farfetched idea by any means.
Bhutan's Monarchs willed and created Bhutan into a constitutional democracy. Druk Gyalpo
Jigme Singye Wangchuck is attributed as the Father of Democracy in Bhutan as it was during
His Golden Reign that underpinned by continued unprecedented economic and social
development, Bhutan transformed into a modern State on its own terms.
The Election Commission was established in 2006 to conduct the first-ever Parliamentary
Elections in the country by 2008. Without any work experience in electoral field and the year
2008 looming large and near, putting in place a working electoral system capable of successfully
conducting elections and educating and informing voters at the same time seemed nothing short
of wishing for a miracle. However, guided by the draft Constitution and the draft Election Bill
the first Parliamentary Elections were successfully completed by March 2008. It was witnessed
by the international electoral observation teams and global media.
Today, as the Election Commission of India marks the close of the year-long celebrations of its
Diamond Jubilee, we feel proud to share some of Bhutan’s experience. Experiences that do not
normally get recorded yet could turn the course of a history. I would like to highlight some of
these in three distinct stages of Pre-Election, Election and Post-Election Periods.
1
PRE-ELECTION
Mock Election
In order that the country and
people are fully prepared for the
political changes in 2008 we
conducted the first-ever mock
elections in the Paro College of
Education. It was felt that
conducting it in a teacher
training college add value and
ECB File Picture
help in trying out the draft
procedures while imparting
electoral education to the future
Trainees of Paro College of Education during Mock Elections
teachers.
Six dummy political parties viz. Bhutan Forward Party, Druk Unity Party, Bhutan Democratic
Party, Druk Yarphel Party, National Freedom Party and Druk Socialist Party, each with an
election symbol acted as political parties to contest
the Primary Round as well as the General Elections.
The mock election taken up by the trainees in all
sincerity and enthusiasm was filmed and broadcasted
on national TV to raise public awareness of the
elective offices, the electoral process and procedures.
When the slogan shouting rallies conducted as part of
mock campaign were broadcasted on National TV it
seems, some of the senior citizens switched off the
ECB File Picture
TV programme as they found it disturbing, ominous
and a challenge to the traditional order and way of
life that they cherished.
2
National Mock Parliamentary Elections (NPME)
For a successful first Parliamentary Election in 2008; to sensitize the voters and provide hands-
on experience in the use of Electronic Voting Machines; and to gain a greater insight and
realization of role and the significance of exercising their franchise to elect Parliamentarians
capable of providing good governance, the Election Commission of Bhutan conducted the first-
ever National Mock Parliamentary Elections nationwide in 2007.
In the absence of real contestants, photographs of the students of the Paro College of Education
and the National Institute of Arts and Crafts were used as dummy candidates to avoid any
political party or candidate intending to contest in elections 2008, from gaining undue
advantages by participating in the
exercise. The main focus of the National
Mock Parliamentary Election was on
testing the practicality of procedures of
voting, counting and declaration of
results.
For this mock election, political parties
were named as Druk Blue Party, Druk
Green Party, Druk Red Party and Druk
Yellow Party after the four primary
colours. It was felt that colours could ease
recognition by the voters as party election
symbols. Appropriate printed manifestos
in the name of each such Party were also
put on the Election Advertising Boards
across the nation.
Though we expected that no real political party would choose plain colour as an election symbol,
the colours became a centre of controversy as the Yellow Party won a landslide victory of 46 to
the 1 of Druk Red Party. The explanation being quoted most emphatically was that Yellow as the
colour of the institution of the well-loved Monarchy and Drukpa Kagyu. As a result, it was
decided that in real elections, colours except what was natural with the image of the animals used
3
in the Election Symbols such as the beak of the black-necked crane and the mane of the white
stallion not to be allowed.
ECB File Picture
NPME Manifesto Posters
ECB File Picture
NPME – Voters getting to understand the process
So much so that at one stage PDP accused the Election Commission of allowing the red colour
on the crane’s beak on the DPT’s Election Symbol. The only saving grace was that PDP itself
had been allowed to keep a faint grey colour called raka on the horse, which they on second
4
thought decided not to have. The latter party also alleged that the national colour was placed on
the inside label of the DPT tee-shirts. We were relieved to find that these products had such
labels even before the electoral processes. As we did not allow colours the Bhutanese election
was ridiculed in some quarters as being colour blind.
Royal Kick-off
We were surprised as
well as overwhelmed to
find out in the evening
telecast of Bhutan
Broadcasting Service
Television on the Poll
Day that His Majesty the
King had taken pains to
travel all the way to
remote Dungkar, the
ancestral home of the
Wangchuck Dynasty, led
the voters to the Polling
Station that morning to
commemorate and share
the historic moment of
Courtesy Kuensel
participating in the Mock
Elections, a propitious
precursor to the National
Parliamentary Election
that would soon follow. How befitting and most symbolic inauguration for electoral democracy
in the Kingdom!
Voter Education
One of the four major tasks assigned to the Election Commission of Bhutan was to “conduct
training and familiarization for the people in the electoral process in 2006 and 2007”. Extensive
5
nationwide voter education was carried out through classroom mode. Mass media had been
intensely engaged.
ECB File Picture
A voter education session
Besides, the video Democracy and Elections: the
Bhutanese Way based on the mock election at Paro
College of Education; the Bhutan Voter Guide;
MTV/audio tapes; a set of seven catchy Election
Songs with titles such as Joengay Joengay exhorting
voters to “Let’s Go and Exercise our Franchise”; an
animated production on the operation of EVM; an
animated production on “Every Vote Counts”; Radio
and TV series on “Understanding Democracy”;
Posters and Stickers were published and released to
the public to inform and educate every eligible voter.
6
Voter education posters
Getting Youth and Children on Board
Efforts were made to reach out to the youth and children in schools and institutions to bring
awareness and through them motivate their adult members of families and society to
communicate and be informed on the election issues. Children were encouraged to start asking
questions to their parents and elders if they did not discuss elections and democracy at home and
express suspicion that the elders were not interested in their children’s future and wellbeing.
ECB File Picture
A voter and civic education session with students
7
ELECTION PERIOD
NATIONAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS
National Seminars
The seminars on National Council Elections were conducted throughout the nation for training
and awareness of potential candidates and voters. The prisoners, except for those serving term
for treason were given voter education and provided privilege to vote through Postal Ballots.
Hurdles
The polling officials working at altitude at or over 3,500 meters or crossing mountain passes of
over 4,000 meters and those that walked for more than one day were issued with a set of basic
trekking and camping gear.
ECB File Picture
Polling Team on the way to a Polling Station in Gasa
The unexpected snowfall on the eve of Poll for National Council Election in December 2007
took the election machinery by surprise and out of gear. It made the movement of personnel and
materials difficult and demotivated voters to show up on the Poll Day. Since the heavy snowfall
8
closed the mountain passes, the
polling team and election
materials had to be dropped off by
helicopter for the first
Parliamentary Elections.
Some polling group had to camp
at these places for over a period of
ECB File Picture
three months waiting upon the
people on the monumental
changes in the country till the Poll
An IAF helicopter transports polling team and materials
Day for General Elections.
Another team had to take a detour of hundreds of kilometers as the mountain passes on their
planned route were blocked by snow. Security details had to be revised deputing personnel from
other areas with increased logistic hassles.
Since the National Council Election also
coincided with the yearly tradition of
pilgrimage to India, a flood of devotees
queued to visit India. Against the plea of
the Election Commission to postpone
their pilgrimage, people went on record
to say that National Council Elections
are less significant, and that they would
ensure their participation during the
National Assembly Elections. As
expected it did not help the voter turnout
of the National Council Election which
was just over 50%, although happily
Courtesy Kuensel
enough, the turnout for the National
Assembly Elections in March 2008 shot
up to 80%.
9Cordyceps
The proposed initial timing for poll coincided with the month-long harvesting time for cordyceps
that fetches lucrative income for the residents of Northern Bhutan. The government sets a time
period for that. Accordingly, the election schedule had to be readjusted to a later date to suit their
convenience.
Better Representation
In order that the National Council Elections for the first Parliament are successful and the
Bhutanese voters of all the twenty Dzongkhags have a wider choice for proper representation in
the National Council, the Election Commission had to postpone the elections in the five
Constituencies with only one candidate or no candidate to contest the elections.
Mystery
The night of the poll and result declaration day was a cold mid winter night. As I was walking
into the media tent for a press interview I was surprised to feel rain drops falling over me. I
remarked aloud that the heavens may be with us as a celestial celebration but it seems it was only
I who had that experience and no one seemed to be aware of it.
10NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
Special Message on the eve of National Assembly Elections Poll Day
11Multi-Party Political System
Bhutanese democracy is a multi-party political system. Given the smallness of the population, it
was not too surprising that only two groups of voters could register as Political Parties to contest
the first National Assembly Elections - People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Druk
Phuensum Tshogpa Party (DPT).
A group styled the Bhutan People’s United Party (BPUP) had no clear ideology, vision and
mission and it did not have a viability to effectively participate in the electoral process.
Paying Voters and Fixed Polling Teams
In small pockets of
areas where the
number of members
of the polling teams
being more than the
number of eligible
voters, the voters
were paid to travel to
the nearest convenient
ECB File Picture
location. In view of
the distance and
Poll Officials halting for the night on their way to a remote Polling Station
inaccessible terrain
12with few voters, the Polling Station in Eusana could not be established therefore the voters were
compensated at the rate of Ngultrum 500 per day for having to travel longer distances to vote.
Since polling in Lunana Gewog was inaccessible in the winter months, the Polling Station at
Raminang catered, in the morning, to the voters from Eusana and those voters from other
villages of Lunana who travelled to trade in the winter besides the voters of Raminang itself in
the afternoon.
Entire community of Eusuna Village in Gasa ECB File Picture
Therefore, the Electoral Roll for the entire Lunana Gewog was made available at the Raminang
Polling Station since it could not be accurately predetermined as to which particular voter from
these areas would be migrating.
The polling officials were provided with solar powered satellite telecommunication sets and
service for uninterrupted communication and relaying results.
The Election Commission paid additional remuneration and free provisions to polling officials
who were required to bear hardship and stay longer duration under harsh climatic and physical
conditions to conduct subsequent elections in areas otherwise inaccessible.
13The Chief Election Coordinator of that district, in consultation with the Election Security
Coordinator, identified and appointed local community leaders with track record of being
responsible and neutral as the election security with a payment at the rate of Ngultrum 500 per
day.
Rites and Rituals
A challenging aspect of the allegations that arose was those related to engagement and
performance of rituals and rites such as propitiating gods and deities to summon and seek
support of divine mediums for political ends. Finally, the Election Commission had to issue a
Notification barring the political parties, candidates and party workers from organizing any
religious activities.
Threats
The International media
carried stories alleging that
the Election Commission
had de-registered several
scores of voters in certain
part of the country. Threats
made through distribution
of leaflets by anti-national
elements to instill fear and
disrupt the elections and Courtesy Kuensel
the bomb blasts that
followed at several places
did not create a very
comfortable atmosphere for a new entrant in democratic elections. However, due to the effective
security cover provided by the security personnel and full cooperation received from law and
order authorities of the bordering Indian States and sealing of the international borders on the
Poll Days, the Poll Days were peaceful and uneventful.
14ECB File Picture
Propaganda leaflets against the elections by anti-national groups
ECB File Pictures
Improvised Explosive Device used by anti-national groups to disrupt elections
The International Observers in their reports declared our Photo Electoral Roll to be clean and
complete. The European Union Election Observation Mission, in particular summed up
categorically that our Electoral Roll was “inclusive”. International observers commended the
Royal Government for having in place a cadre of well trained and motivated election officers
within a short time and for smooth conduct of Parliamentary Elections though it was for the first
time.
15ECB File Pictures
Indian Election Observers
Safe Travel to Vote
For a mountainous country, travelling to vote may be very discouraging and disconcerting. In
order that the non-availability of public transport did not add to it, arrangements were made to
have public transport at reasonable rates with predictable time and assured safety throughout the
nation on the Poll Day and during the poll week, extending over all motor-able roads, so that a
voter faced less inconvenience in travelling to vote. A clear Transportation Work-plan guided by
the Public Transport for Elections Regulations of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2008 put in place did
make the difference.
An expectant young lady travelled determinedly by bus to her home to cast her vote in the
General Election. She delivered the baby in the bus enroute helped by the other fellow
passengers who were also on
their visit home to exercise their
franchise.
A lady who was 65 years old
was determined not to miss the
election though unable to
Courtesy Bhutan Times
undertake a vehicular journey.
So she walked with a minor
companion passing cold and
daunting mountain passes, for
16fourteen days covering 600 kilometers of ancient mule track all the way from the capital to her
village in eastern Bhutan to cast her vote dutifully at the first historic Parliamentary Elections.
Religion and Politics
It is enshrined in the Constitution that religion and politics remain separate and religious
institutions and
personalities
remain above
politics,
befitting their
esteemed status
and meriting
due reverence
and respect of
the people,
Courtesy Kuensel
irrespective of
political
convictions.
Religion should
never be the basis on which elections are contested as it would be most divisive and socially
destructive. Some individuals went public in criticizing that the election authorities have
disenfranchised the religious personalities and we have rendered them into status of second class
citizenship. It was affirmed from the post election feedback that most of the religious
personalities saw the wisdom in the policy after having witnessed how unpalatable politicking
can be even in an emerging democracy.
Public Debates
Televised debates were conducted between the political parties and the candidates. These were
held both at the party level between the Party Leaders and at the candidate level between the
candidates of each constituency wherein the overall Party manifesto as well as the agenda for the
specific areas could be argued and presented to the public. These debates played a very
significant role in helping voters to make up their minds and choices.
17ECB File Picture
Presidents of the two Political Parties during the live televised debate
Home Coming
Since democracy was being introduced for the first time in the country, opportunity was seized
by the parties and candidates to visit their constituencies and meet voters to introduce themselves
and their party and to inform them on their slogan principles and charters. This was a
spontaneous development that brought in considerable challenges to the election authorities as
every day new issues unveiled. Many disputes had their origin in the activities of the political
parties taken under the initiative of zealous supporters and workers who were often found to be
one tract and shortsighted at this stage.
Many Bhutanese who were working in the modern sector and public service generally did not
frequently visit their villages as the custom/tradition demands heavy expenditures for
extravagant gifts and entertainments. For the first time, they did not hesitate to return home
turning the elections as the convenient homecoming and reunion. Many interesting anecdotes
carried by the media indicated added colour to election as emotional and memorable events.
Relatives who had long left the community in pursuit of livelihood across the country returned to
participate in the election. Poll Day became a social event with relatives transforming polling
stations to a place for picnic after casting their votes.
18A young lady who had
initially applied for Postal
Ballot decided instead to
go home to vote. She did
not realize that she had to
report her decision to the
election authorities. She
turned up at the polling
ECB File Picture
station to cast her vote only
to find that she was not on
Postal Ballot packages the Electoral Roll as she
was on the Postal Voters’ List. Not taking “No” for an answer she insisted that she had to vote.
The Election Commission had to allow the teary eyed but determined voter to exercise her
franchise upon verification that she had not been issued with a Postal Ballot.
Result Reversal
As if the declaration of DPT winning a whopping 44
seats of the total 47 was not dramatic enough, the
results had to be further modified to 45 out of 47 as one
result was found out the next evening only as written
down incorrectly by the Returning Officer.
It so happened that in the rush of receiving and
recording the Election Results from polling stations,
the result of one station was recorded wrongly. The
transmitted message “Candidate 2 – 98 votes” was
understood as “298” instead of “98” votes in favour of
“Candidate 2 of PDP”. This resulted in awarding 200
additional votes erroneously to the PDP Candidate
Courtesy Kuensel
making him the winner with 3,646 votes instead of his
actual total votes of 3,446. The total vote secured by
the DPT candidate was 3642. The error was detected
19while compiling the Election Result based on the hard copy of the Election Result Sheets which
had been submitted the next day.
The uneven election results (45 seats for the DPT and 2 for the PDP) were generally met with
surprise from both political parties, as well as the public. The two winning candidates of the
Opposition Party walked into the Election Commission with their letter of resignation from their
Parliamentary seats as a protest a day later. However, in the intervening period before the first
session of Parliament was called they unilaterally decided to retain their Parliamentary seats and
act as a vocal albeit small opposition.
Disputes
Even with only two parties, the Election Commission was kept fully preoccupied with
allegations of coercion, bribery, obstructions, objectionable statements, involvement in political
activities by those required to remain apolitical or above politics and other non-permissible
activities. Every allegation and complaint was given due consideration as our commitment to
ensure elections were not only free and fair but undesirable practices cannot be allowed to set in
and become entrenched in the system.
Courtesy Kuensel
The Commission settled over a hundred cases requiring the statement of opinion or
investigations into the allegations and complaints of violation of the provisions made in the
20Constitution and Electoral Laws and of activities that could compromise the conduct of free and
fair elections. For promotion of transparency within the system and fair opportunity for political
parties to observe the process, each of the registered political parties were allowed to nominate
an observer at the hearings conducted by the Election Dispute Settlement Body on cases reported
by or directly involving the political parties and their candidates and which had been
subsequently investigated.
During the election period, where speedy action was required and the investigations were
conclusive, decisions were taken directly either by the Election Commission or the Election
Dispute Settlement Body summarily. The decisions in written form were immediately shared
with the two parties and their right to appeal made known.
Regular press information were released and media interviews and broadcast programmes served
to ensure that electoral process and information is open and the process transparent.
Restraining Order
One of the more serious cases was one that led to the issue of a restraining order on two PDP
party workers who followed the DPT President on his tour where they attempted to obstruct and
interfere overtly. The Election Commission, therefore, subsequently debarred them from all
further political meetings and had to issue an order to this effect.
21POST ELECTION
Petition and Protest
A large group of the PDP supporters had gathered to appeal the election results to His Majesty,
the King who was reported as having given a patient hearing to their views and subsequently
advised them that in life failure is hard to accept but it is useful to be rational and sometimes
accept. However, if they felt that they had any legal grounds or legitimate complaints, they could
take recourse to the due process of law.
Courtesy Kuensel
The PDP petitioned the High Court on the ground of not being convinced of the results and also
as they felt that the tide had changed at the last minute with civil servants who went home had
convinced their home folks to vote against them. They also raised the ridiculous suspicion of
22EVMs being pre-programmed by the election authorities. The High Court dismissed the case on
the grounds of being baseless and without evidence.
Courtesy Kuensel
23CONCLUSION
These instances are formidable to an infant election system and could have frustrated the election
officials. However, we were fortunate that these did not deter but instead reinforced our
determination to tackle them and deliver an election which was rated fairly high by the
democratic world and above all by the people of Bhutan. We deem it a privilege thus to confide
our experiences at the risk of causing boredom to the distinguished electoral galaxy here this
moment.
However, we believe
that this is only the
beginning of the
journey and on the
long road ahead care
must be taken to
ensure that threats
arising out of self-
centered and narrow
partisan politics do
not mar and endanger
the democratic
institutions.
Courtesy Kuensel
In particular, I would
like to urge for the
His Majesty having a lighter moment with Members of Parliament
independence of the
Election Management Bodies to ensure free, fair and genuine elections as an integral part of the
democratic process. Therefore, as the SAARC drafts the SAARC Charter for Democracy to
protect democracy, we hope the SAARC leaders will ensure that their initiatives would further
enhance the integrity and independence of the election management bodies of South Asia.
As the Election Commission of India concludes its year-long Diamond Jubilee Celebration, the
Election Commission of Bhutan joins the electoral management bodies from around the world to
compliment and pay tribute to successive Indian Chief Election Commissioners who have
24distinguished themselves in conducting successful elections evolving India as one of the best
working electoral systems in modern democracies.
As a young and learning democracy, Bhutan looks forward to continuously benefiting from the
Election Commission of India and from her experiences of conducting elections in the world’s
largest democracy.
Jai Bharat - Jai Bhutan
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