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.

2 ex-teachers take Punakha (Kuensel)
27 March, 2008 - Punakha The two members of parliament elected from Punakha dzongkhag share a few things in common. They were trained in the same institute (College of Education in Paro), are good debaters, and both were national language teachers before joining politics.

Shock defeat for S Ngedup (Kuensel)
27 March, 2008 - PUNAKHA Bhutan’s historic election suffered the biggest setback when the president of the People’s Democratic Party, Sangay Ngedup, was defeated in his own constituency.

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.

DPT’s Chencho Dorji is NA elect from Phuentsholing

Chencho Dorji

27 March, 2008 - CHHUKHA Phuentsholing
A notification issued today by the Election Commission of Bhutan states that the Druk Phuensum Tshokpa (DPT) candidate, Chencho Dorji, is the National Assembly elect from the Phuentsholing Constituency and not Rinzin Dorji of the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) as was declared on the evening of March 24.

The people have spoken
But what have they said?

Prime minister elect : a momentous moment

The morning of March 24 was warm and sunny. It was one of the quietest days of the year. By nightfall the quiet became a stunned silence as the electorate gave Druk Phuensum Tshogpa 44 out of 47 constituencies, a landslide victory.

Most people, including winners and voters, were somewhat taken aback by the force of the electoral verdict. Observers were assessing the candidates and expecting a close race. They could not predict the most important element in an election… the electorate.

The greater responsibility is yet to come
27 March, 2008 - “I’d like to thank the voters for the trust and the confidence that they have placed in Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), in the candidates that the party has fielded, and in me. It will be our endeavour to serve the King, country and people with the deepest of commitment and loyalty. We know that, in having voted for us, they have voted for a strong and vibrant democracy.”

Bureaucrats make postal ballots count

27 March, 2008 - Almost 78 percent of the postal votes were for the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa indicating that a large number of civil servants, armed officials and students had actually supported the party to win the country’s first general election.

“We will live to fight another day”

27 March, 2008 - “Rally around the new leadership. Give DPT all the support and, when they form the government, give them all cooperation and let democracy succeed and let all of us fulfill the vision of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.”

Chapcha beats Bongo

27 March, 2008 - Despite winning in three of the five gewogs of Chapcha-Bongo constituency, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Kunzang Dorji, lost to Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s (DPT) Ugay Tshering.

Two out of two for DPT in Tsirang

27 March, 2008 - Kilkhorthang-MendelgangThe Sherpa to get to the top was DPT’s Yangku Tshering Sherpa, who secured a total of 5,628 votes, including 293 postal votes, from the six gewogs in Kilkhorthang-Mendelgang constituency.
Yangku Tshering Sherpa was all smiles as many supporters turned out to congratulate him in his little office in Tsirang.