Tshering Namgyal | Mongar

Mobile voting started in Mongar constituency yesterday after eight teams, consisting of polling officials, security personnel and drivers left to Drepong, Chali, Mongar, Tsakaling and Tsamang gewogs on June 21.

The officials would facilitate mobile voting for registered elderly voters and voters living with disabilities.

There are 178 elderly voters above 65 years old and 52 voters living with disabilities in five gewogs of Mongar constituency.

The election officials will visit the houses of every voter for two days.

The farthest village is in upper Ganglapong chiwog in Tsamang gewog, which is slightly more than half an hour from the road head.

Election officials said mobile voting facility was introduced during the recent thromde elections in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic situation.

They said the facility would keep voters, who are vulnerable, safe if there is transmission in the community and reduce crowding pressure on the poll day besides being more convenient.

The returning officer, Mani Kumar Ghalay, said election officials were also briefed to follow strict health safety protocols. “They were also provided with safety equipment like face shield, gloves, mask and soap.”

He said officials also underwent an antigen test.

Meanwhile, the office of the returning officer received about 80 percent of the postal ballot with 2,199 of the 2,807 registered voters including 68 overseas as of June 21.

Mongar Demkhong has a total of 11,074 registered voters with a slightly higher female population of 5,804 over 5,270 male population.

Among the five gewogs Mongar gewog has the highest number of voters with 4,071 followed by Tsakaling with 2,355. Chali has 1,694 and Tsamang and Drepong have 1,514 and 1,439 respectively.

Edited by Tashi Dema