Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) will dispatch the first set of postal ballot for facilitation booths in Bumthang, Pemagatshel, and Samdrupjongkhar today.

The three dzongkhags have nine facilitation booths — two in Bumthang, three in Pemagatshel, and four in Samdrupjongkhar.

Of the 438,663 registered voters in the country, 97,873 have registered to vote through the facilitation booths.

ECB’s media spokesperson, Sonam Tobgay, said that to reach the postal ballot facilitation booths in the dzongkhags, ECB would avoid the Indian route for safety reasons.

For Gasa, he said, postal ballots could be sent through the helicopter services.

ECB will complete dispatching the postal ballot for facilitation booth postal voters by September 2 to all dzongkhags in Bhutan.

Facilitation booths and mobile booths will be in operation from September 7 – 9.

Sonam Tobgay said that because ECB will provide a refreshers course to the polling officials at the stations, the facilitation booths should reach the dzongkhags before September 4.

ECB will set up 65 facilitation booths and 18 mobile booths in eight dzongkhags.

ECB sent the last set of conventional postal ballots for the civil servants yesterday.

Conventional postal ballots for overseas voters and the armed forces were sent earlier this week.

Of the total registered voters, 31,264 will cast their votes through the conventional postal ballots.

Phurpa Lhamo