The ECB says 4,785 voters have registered for the test nationwide

LG: Aspiring local leaders from across the country will appear for the mandatory functional literacy and possession of skills test (FLT) today.

According to the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB), a total of 4,785 voters have registered for the test, 64.7 percent of which are male. Of the total, 3,097 are male and 1,688 are female.

An ECB official said preparations for the FLT have been completed and that the test will be held in all dzongkhags. The three thromdes that recently held elections will not see the FLT.

According to the ECB, the questions to test a candidate’s ability to write in Dzongkha will be related to the responsibilities, power, authority and duties of midhey gothrips. This means that the question papers will cover computational, analytical, managerial and correspondence skills.

Weightage for the written test and the viva are 60 percent and 40 percent respectively. Each candidate will be allotted two hours for the written test and 10 minutes for the viva.

Lack of candidates with FLT certificates has been one of main the problems facing local government elections. However, with the ECB conducting the test, the number of eligible candidates will increase.

To make it easily accessible to the people, FLT centres have been taken to gewogs. Candidates from dzongkhag thromdes will sit the test at the dzongkhag election offices.

The test will be conducted in all 205 gewogs and 17 dzongkhag thromdes. The second phase of the local government elections will take place in July.

According to records, 5,165 probable candidates possess FLT certificates. Candidates who possess FLT certificates will not be required to appear for the test.

Meanwhile, the ECB is leaving no stone unturned to make the second LG elections a success. Election officials are trying to reach every nook and corner of the country to spread the message of adult franchise.

Voters within 25 to 65 years of age are being encouraged to partake in the elections as candidates, for which it is a must to pass the FLT.

MB Subba

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