LG: More than 500 polling officials reached about 79 polling stations across 15 gewogs in Wangdue yesterday.

Election officials said that the polling team for ten stations located in remote areas in gewogs of Athang, Kashi and Sephu were sent since September 24. Teams for 69 polling stations were sent yesterday morning.

Polling teams had to walk anywhere between two hours and a day to reach the polling stations in remote villages like Lawa Lamgang, Lopokha, Lamtshokha in Athang gewog, Baldrok in Kashi gewog and Taksha-Silli in Daga gewog and Nabisa chiwog in Nahi.

Continuous rainfall since the evening of September 24 caused challenges for the polling team.

The polling teams were transported to respective polling stations in the vehicles arranged by the dzongkhag election office from dzongkhag administration, Punatsangchhu project-I and II, schools in Wangdue, regional offices including AMC, Bhutan Power Corporation, Technical Training Institute in Samthang, RNRRC and NRDCL.

In each polling station, a presiding officer, three polling officials, a lady frisker and three security personnel will be deployed. Additional assistant polling officials will be deployed to those polling stations with a high number of registered voters, according to election officials.

Almost 80 percent of the polling officials are schoolteachers. The rest include dzongkhag, hospital and regional staff.

At the polling stations of Gangtey, Bajo town and Thedthso gewog, police were deployed. Army personnel were sent for the rest.

Starting today, the polling teams will set up election machines and other facilities inside the polling station.

Wangdue has 43 temporary polling stations. The rests are conducted in schools, and government structures across the dzongkhag.

Dawa Gyelmo | Wangdue

Supported by Bhutan Media Foundation and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation