2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election

National Council elections were held in Bhutan for the first time on 31 December 2007,[1] though they were 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]

Dzongkhag	Gewog	Candidate
Bumthang	Chhoekhor	Jigme Palden
Bumthang	Ura	Tshewang Jurmin
Chukha	Bongo	Sonam Dorji Wangchuk
Chukha	Bjachho	Tshewang Lhamo
Chukha	Chapcha	Thinley Dorji
Dagana	Kana	Sonam Dorji
Dagana	Drujeygang	Kesang Dema
Dagana	Tshendeygang	Mongal Singh Gurung
Dagana	Lhamoyzingkha	Krishna Bahadur Tamang
Gasa		None
Haa	Bji	Tshering Dorji
Lhuntse	Khoma	Rinzin Dorji
Mongar	Silambi	Choki Drakpa
Mongar	Saling	Naichu
Mongar	Chali	Pema Tenzin
Mongar	Chaskhar	Pema Wangdi
Paro	Dopshari	Ugyen Tshering
Paro	Lango	Ugyen Tshering
Paro	Wangchang	Phub Dorji
Paro	Lungnyi	Jambay
Pema Gatshel	Dechenling	Sangay Tempa
Pema Gatshel	Shumar	Jigme Rinzin
Punakha	Goen Shari	Namgay Penjore
Punakha	Kabjisa	Sangay Phurba
Punakha	Talo	Namgay Ratty Dorji
Samdrup Jongkhar	Orong	Kuenga Dorji
Samdrup Jongkhar	Deothang	Sangay Lhendup
Samdrup Jongkhar	Lauri	Jigme Wangchuk
Samtse	Dorokha	Chhatrapati Phuyel
Samtse	Chargaray	Mani Kumar Rai
Samtse	Bara	Lal Bahadur Gurung
Samtse	Tendu	Bishnu Lal Gurung
Sarpang	Gelephu	Karma Donnen Wangdi
Sarpang	Shompangkha	Jamyang Sherub Wangdi
Sarpang	Dekiling	Dhan Bahadur Mongar
Thimphu	Thim Throm	Sangay Zam
Trashigang[10]	Shongphu	Sonam Kinga[10]
Trashigang	Bidung	Tashi Tshering
Trashigang	Samkhar	Ngawang Jamtsho
Trashiyangtse	Yalang	Kezang Namgyal
Trongsa	Nubi	Namgay Wangchuk
Trongsa	Tangsibji	Jagar Dorji
Trongsa	Korphu	Chimi Dorji
Tsirang	Kikorthang	Pema Dukpa
Tsirang	Phuentenchhu	Justin Gurung
Wangduephodrang	Nyisho	Sonam Yangchen
Wangduephodrang	Phangyul	Kaka Dawa
Zhemgang	Trong	Pema Dhendup
Zhemgang	Nangkor	Pema 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]

Dzongkhag	Gewog	Candidate
Gasa	Goenkhatey	Sangay Khandu
Haa	Bji	Tshering Dorji
Lhuentse	Khoma	Rinzin Dorji
Thimphu	N/A	Sangay Tsoki
Thimphu	Thim Throm	Sangay Zam
Trashiyangtse	N/A	Kelzang Wangdi
Trashiyangtse	Yalang	Kezang Namgyal
Trashiyangtse	N/A	Sherub Tenzin
Trashiyangtse	N/A	Ugyen Wangdi

Results

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

Dzongkhag	Gewog	Winner
Bumthang	Ura	Tshewang Jurmin
Chukha	Bjachho	Tshewang Lhamo
Dagana	Kana	Sonam Dorji
Mongar	Saling	Naichu
Paro	Dopshari	Ugyen Tshering
Pema Gatshel	Shumar	Jigme Rinzin
Punakha	Goen Shari	Namgay Penjore
Samdrup Jongkhar	Lauri	Jigme Wangchuk
Samtse	Chargaray	Mani Kumar Rai
Sarpang	Gelephu	Karma Donnen Wangdi
Trashigang	Shongphu	Sonam Kinga[10]
Trongsa	Tangsibji	Jagar Dorji
Tsirang	Phuentenchhu	Justin Gurung
Wangdue Phodrang	Nyisho	Sonam Yangchen
Zhemgang	Nangkor	Pema Lhamo

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

Dzongkhag	Gewog	Winner
Gasa	Goenkhatey	Sangay Khandu†
Haa	Bji	Tshering Dorji†
Lhuentse	Khoma	Rinzin Dorji†
Thimphu	Thim Throm	Sangay Zam
Trashiyangtse	Yalang	Kezang 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
5. "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. "Your Elected National Council for Trashigang". Archived from the original on 2008-01-04. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
11. Bhutan NC Elections Archived March 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
12. Your National Council Archived 2008-06-16 at the Wayback Machine