Chencho Dema

In Punakha’s Kabji-Talo and Lingmukha-Toedwang constituencies, the rejection rate for postal ballots has shown improvement compared to the primary round.

As of yesterday, Kabji-Talo reported 41 rejections out of the 1,956 postal ballots received. The constituency, with a total of 2,123 postal ballot voters, demonstrated a decrease in rejection numbers. Notably, all nine overseas ballots and the 22 votes from Special Early Voting were accepted without any rejections.

In the primary round, Kabji-Talo faced a higher rejection rate, with 51 rejections out of 2,171 ballots received. The majority of these rejections were attributed to issues like empty envelopes, CID number mismatches, and incomplete form submissions. The improvement seen in the recent count signifies a positive trend in addressing these concerns.

In Lingmukha-Toedwang, the dzongkhag election office recorded 29 rejections out of 1,396 postal ballots received. The constituency, with 1,519 postal ballot voters, also experienced a lower rejection rate. Interestingly, no rejection was reported among the 29 postal ballots cast during Special Early Voting.

During the primary round in Lingmukha-Toedwang, 88 out of 1,690 postal ballots were rejected, and only seven of the 29 dispatched from overseas reached the election office. The significant reduction in rejection numbers this time indicates improved efficiency and possibly better awareness among voters regarding proper ballot submission.

Punakha, a total of 3,633 postal ballot voters, including 98 from overseas, has a voter base of 19,103.