National Council elections were held in Bhutan for the first time on 31 December 2007,[1] having been originally scheduled for 26 December.[2] The new National Council had 25 members, which 20 members were directly elected from 20 dzongkhags by 312,817 eligible voters,[3] and five more were appointed by the Druk Gyalpo. Nominations had to be filed by 27 November 2007, and the campaigning for 15 of the 20 dzongkhags took place from 30 November until 31 December 2007.[4]

The elections were not held in five dzongkhags (Thimphu, Trashiyangtse, Gasa, Haa and Lhuntse) on 31 December 2007 since they either did not have any candidate or had only a single candidate till the last date for filing the nominations and the election rules state that there should be at least two candidates for each dzongkhag, otherwise the election would be postponed for that particular dzongkhag.[5] The elections in these five dzongkhags were held on 29 January 2008.[6]

Election procedure

In contrast to the National Assembly's 47 party-based members, the National Council members were elected on a non-party basis and were meant to be eminent people from civil society. The two conditions laid down for the candidature for the National Council of Bhutan were non-affiliation to any political party and the minimum qualification of graduation from a university. The candidates for a particular dzongkhag were selected through the zomdus (meetings) convened in each gewog of that dzongkhag specifically for this purpose.[7]

Candidates

A total of 43 candidates contested in 15 dzongkhags in the elections were held on 31 December 2007.[8][9] The highest number of candidates were in Samtse, Dagana, Mongar and Paro with four candidates each. Samdrup Jongkhar, Sarpang, Trongsa, Punakha and Trashigang had three candidates each. Chukha, Pemagatsel, Tsirang, Bumthang, Wangduephodrang and Zhemgang had two candidates each.[5]

A total of 48 candidates filed their nominations for this election by 27 November 2007:[5]

DzongkhagGewogCandidate
BumthangChhoekhorJigme Palden
BumthangUraTshewang Jurmin
ChukhaBongoSonam Dorji Wangchuk
ChukhaBjachhoTshewang Lhamo
ChukhaChapchaThinley Dorji
DaganaKanaSonam Dorji
DaganaDrujeygangKesang Dema
DaganaTshendeygangMongal Singh Gurung
DaganaLhamoyzingkhaKrishna Bahadur Tamang
GasaNone
HaaBjiTshering Dorji
LhuntseKhomaRinzin Dorji
MongarSilambiChoki Drakpa
MongarSalingNaichu
MongarChaliPema Tenzin
MongarChaskharPema Wangdi
ParoDopshariUgyen Tshering
ParoLangoUgyen Tshering
ParoWangchangPhub Dorji
ParoLungnyiJambay
Pema GatshelDechenlingSangay Tempa
Pema GatshelShumarJigme Rinzin
PunakhaGoen ShariNamgay Penjore
PunakhaKabjisaSangay Phurba
PunakhaTaloNamgay Ratty Dorji
Samdrup JongkharOrongKuenga Dorji
Samdrup JongkharDeothangSangay Lhendup
Samdrup JongkharLauriJigme Wangchuk
SamtseDorokhaChhatrapati Phuyel
SamtseChargarayMani Kumar Rai
SamtseBaraLal Bahadur Gurung
SamtseTenduBishnu Lal Gurung
SarpangGelephuKarma Donnen Wangdi
SarpangShompangkhaJamyang Sherub Wangdi
SarpangDekilingDhan Bahadur Mongar
ThimphuThim ThromSangay Zam
Trashigang[10]ShongphuSonam Kinga[10]
TrashigangBidungTashi Tshering
TrashigangSamkharNgawang Jamtsho
TrashiyangtseYalangKezang Namgyal
TrongsaNubiNamgay Wangchuk
TrongsaTangsibjiJagar Dorji
TrongsaKorphuChimi Dorji
TsirangKikorthangPema Dukpa
TsirangPhuentenchhuJustin Gurung
WangduephodrangNyishoSonam Yangchen
WangduephodrangPhangyulKaka Dawa
ZhemgangTrongPema Dhendup
ZhemgangNangkorPema Lhamo

The candidature of Thinley Dorji from Chapcha gewog of Chukha dzongkhag was cancelled by the Election Commission of Bhutan because of his affiliation to a political party on 7 December 2007.

After an additional nomination period, the candidates for the five dzongkhags which had postponed their elections were as follows:[11]

DzongkhagGewogCandidate
GasaGoenkhateySangay Khandu
HaaBjiTshering Dorji
LhuentseKhomaRinzin Dorji
ThimphuN/ASangay Tsoki
ThimphuThim ThromSangay Zam
TrashiyangtseN/AKelzang Wangdi
TrashiyangtseYalangKezang Namgyal
TrashiyangtseN/ASherub Tenzin
TrashiyangtseN/AUgyen Wangdi

Results

The 15 members of the National Council of Bhutan who were elected on 31 December 2007 were:[12]

DzongkhagGewogWinner
BumthangUraTshewang Jurmin
ChukhaBjachhoTshewang Lhamo
DaganaKanaSonam Dorji
MongarSalingNaichu
ParoDopshariUgyen Tshering
Pema GatshelShumarJigme Rinzin
PunakhaGoen ShariNamgay Penjore
Samdrup JongkharLauriJigme Wangchuk
SamtseChargarayMani Kumar Rai
SarpangGelephuKarma Donnen Wangdi
TrashigangShongphuSonam Kinga[10]
TrongsaTangsibjiJagar Dorji
TsirangPhuentenchhuJustin Gurung
Wangdue PhodrangNyishoSonam Yangchen
ZhemgangNangkorPema Lhamo

In the remaining five dzongkhags, the following candidates were elected:[11]

DzongkhagGewogWinner
GasaGoenkhateySangay Khandu†
HaaBjiTshering Dorji†
LhuentseKhomaRinzin Dorji†
ThimphuThim ThromSangay Zam
TrashiyangtseYalangKezang Namgyal
† elected unopposed

References

  1. ↑ The Hindu News Update Service Archived November 6, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ National Council elections on December 26, Hindustan Times, 2007-10-21, accessed on 2007-12-30
  3. ↑ "312,817 voters on final electoral roll". Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
  4. ↑ "Bhutan upper house polls on Dec 26 : Asia World". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
  5. 1 2 3 "Upper House has lower profile". Archived from the original on 2011-06-10. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
  6. ↑ "Another shot at selection". Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
  7. ↑ Notification: National Council Elections 2007
  8. ↑ Bhutan steps towards democracy
  9. ↑ "Bhutan ready for historic parliamentary polls | Indian Muslims". Archived from the original on 2008-01-02. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
  10. 1 2 3 "Your Elected National Council for Trashigang". Archived from the original on 2008-01-04. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  11. 1 2 Bhutan NC Elections Archived March 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ Your National Council Archived 2008-06-16 at the Wayback Machine
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