Thinley Namgay

Of the 5,463 postal ballots (PB) issued for voters in Lhuentse’s two constituencies, about 96 percent of PBs (5,218) have reached the dzongkhag election office.

In the Maenbi-Tsaenkhar constituency, out of the 2,861 PBs distributed, 2,728 have reached the election office, while in the Gangzur-Minjey constituency, 2,490 PBs out of 2,602 have been received.

Envelope A of PBs was opened on January 6, and election officials have said that there were no discrepancies. The unveiling of Envelope B is scheduled for today, with representatives from all candidates present. This step is crucial to confirm the eligibility of the PBs. 

Special attention is given to persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Lhuentse. Of the 271 registered PWDs for early voting, 260 exercised their voting rights through door-to-door services.

Lhuentse has 30 polling stations, each with eight officials. All Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) underwent thorough checks, and with the inclusion of a spare EVM in each station, the election process is ready for the poll day.

As of yesterday, only one election dispute has surfaced in Lhuentse. On January 7, a supporter of the Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) reported an alleged attempt by a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) supporter to influence voters in Jarey Gewog under the Maenbi-Tsaenkhar constituency.

After an investigation, it was found that the accusation lacked substantial evidence, leading to the dismissal of the case.