Bhutan upper house polls on Dec 26

Political frenzy has gripped Bhutan with the poll panel announcing that elections to the country's National Council -- the Upper House of Parliament -- will be held on Dec 26.

"There will be 20 directly elected members in the National Council and five members will be appointed by His majesty the King," Chief Election Commissioner Kunzang Wangdi said.

The last date for filing nominations is Nov 27 and the nominations would be scrutinised the next day. Campaigning will begin Nov 30, also the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

Wangdi said campaigning would end on Dec 24, two days before polling day.

The votes will be counted on the day of the polls but the Election Commission will formally declare the results on Dec 27 and submit the list to the King.

The Election Commission has released the final list of 864 polling stations for the National Assembly elections slated for next year.

Elections to the National Assembly -- the lower house -- will be held in two rounds with a primary round in February 2008 and the main polls in March. The National Assembly will have 47 seats.

The current assembly, established in 1953 as the highest legislative body in the country, has already held its last session and was dissolved July 31.

The primary round at the country's first national elections in 2008 will see voters voting for a political party and not candidates.

The two parties that receive the highest number of votes in the primary round can then field their candidates for the general elections, the winners becoming members of the National Assembly.

Bhutan's transition to democracy began in 2001 when former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck handed over the powers of daily government to a council of ministers and empowered the National Assembly to force a royal abdication if three-quarters of its membership backed the motion.

Bhutan, on a fast track to democracy, in 2004 unveiled a 34-point constitution that was sent to some 530,000 citizens for their views. The constitution is expected to be ratified after a referendum.

Once adopted, the constitution will replace a royal decree of 1953 that used to give the monarch absolute power.

Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated the throne in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, 26, last December.

(IANS)

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