Post-feudal twist: Bhutan’s king gives up power and embraces democracy, but response is tepid (The Oakland Press)
THIMPHU, Bhutan (AP) — The command came from the king, as commands normally do in a nation where royalty has ruled for a century.

Manmohan to go to a democratic Bhutan in May (Calcutta News)
As Bhutan becomes the newest democracy in India’s neighbourhood after over 100 years of absolute monarchy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is readying to go to Thimphu in May - the first visit by an Indian prime minister to that country in more than a decade.

Democracy comes to kingdom of Bhutan (TODAYonline)
A Bhutanese woman walk past an election campaign board on display in Thimphu. Bhutan brought down the curtain on a century of absolute monarchy as the king’s subjects went to the polls to elect the remote Himalayan nation’s first democratic government.

Exit monarchy, but long live the king in Bhutan (Central Chronicle)
Thimphu, March 26: Bhutan’s century old monarchy may be on the way out, but the 28-year-old king will continue to wield considerable influence in shaping his Himalayan nation’s future policies if the results of the historic parliamentary election this week are any guide.

Faith in royalty drove DPT to victory in Bhutan (IANS via Yahoo! India News)
Thimphu, March 26 (IANS) ‘Unwavering allegiance’ to the institution of monarchy and total faith in the king could be among the main reasons for the landslide win of the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) in the historic parliamentary elections in Bhutan.

Bhutan’s new govt will not hesitate to act against NE rebels (Outlook India)
Bhutan’s new government will not hesitate to carry out a 2003-like operation against Indian insurgents if they sneak into its territory, the Bhutanese party which swept to power in the country’s first general election said today.

Bhutan’s king relinquishes total power with historic vote (TODAYonline)
A Bhutanese polling officer inspects a polling center in the village of Kabesa, on the outskirts of Thimphu. Bhutan stands poised to become the world’s newest democracy on Monday with historic polls ordered by its revered royal family to end their absolute rule over the mountainous kingdom

Manmohan to go to a democratic Bhutan in May (IANS via Yahoo! India News)
New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) As Bhutan becomes the newest democracy in India’s neighbourhood after over 100 years of absolute monarchy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is readying to go to Thimphu in May - the first visit by an Indian prime minister to that country in more than a decade.

Bhutanese vote sees rejection of king’s in-laws (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
The people of the reclusive Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan have delivered a stunning verdict in their first ever parliamentary polls, embracing democracy but overwhelmingly rejecting the king’s relatives by marriage.

Landmark elections begin in remote Bhutan (TODAYonline)
A Bhutanese man comes out of the Election Commission office in Thimphu on March 21. Voting began in the small Himalayan nation of Bhutan Monday, in elections that will select the country’s first ever democratic government and mark the end of absolute royal rule by the revered Wangchuk dynasty.

DPT to form the new government

Update 25 March, 2008 - The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa was formally declared as the Ruling Party by the Election Commission of Bhutan today, after having won 44 of the 47 seats to the National Assembly in yesterday’s election.

A landslide for Druk Phuensum Tshogpa
24 March, 2008 - The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa, led by Jigmi Y Thinley, secured a landslide victory in Bhutan’s historic National Assembly elections today winning 44 of the 47 seats to the National Assembly.

Initial reports on the National Assembly results

97,921 cast vote in first two hours of polling
24 March, 2008 - Of the 318,465 voters on the electoral roll, 97,921 had cast their votes by around 11 am this morning in the National Assembly election according to officials of the election commission of Bhutan.

Election machinery up and running

The people who will ensure a free, fair and successful election

23 March, 2008 - Forty-four-year-old Jigme Thinley had everything set: a sleeping bag, travel backpack, food items, clothes, trekking shoes and, essentially, the electronic voting machines, before he left for his polling centre.

Trashigang on the eve of E-Day

All’s in place for a peaceful polling

23 March, 2008 - Close to 700 polling officers, presiding officers, and security personnel reached their respective polling stations on March 21, in Trashigang in preparation for the first parliamentary election on March 24.

Election Day is upon us
22 March, 2008 - Bhutan is set to go to polls on Monday to elect 47 of 94 candidates to the National Assembly and determine whether the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa or the People’s Democratic Party forms the country’s first elected government.

Will the postal ballot be pivotal?
22 March, 2008 - About 45 percent of the 36,313 registered postal voters will have to go to their respective polling stations to vote if they want to make a difference in National Assembly elections on March 24.

Sangay Ngedup most likely a shoo-in in Kabji-Talo

PDP’s Sangay Ngedup and DPT’s Tshering Penjor

NA ELECTIONS - PUNAKHA 22 March, 2008 - The People’s Democratic Party must win in Kabji-Talo constituency from Punakha. This is, by and large, the general feeling in the constituency, especially among party’s supporters and also many observers.

Toss-up between youth/age in Nubi-Tangsibji

DPT’s Nidup Zangpo and and PDP’s Kaentsho Sampai Dendup

NA ELECTIONS : TRONGSA 22 March, 2008 - If there is one constituency where the two candidates contesting for a seat in the National Assembly share an excellent rapport, it is in Nubi-Tangsibji of Trongsa dzongkhag.

Tags

• No Tags