LG: Kawang gewog in Thimphu did not have a candidate for the bye-elections for gup’s position scheduled August 14.

The last date for filing the nomination documents was July 25. According to the Election Act, bye-election should be held within 30 days from the date of vacancy.

The post had remained vacant following a Supreme Court verdict that handed former gup Sonam Dorji a six-month imprisonment for his involvement in a land case. He was also the Dzongkhag Tshogdu chairman.

The election commission has notified that the bye-election has been postponed until the second local government elections in 2016.

“A few showed interest to contest but they were not eligible,” said Chief Election Commissioner Dasho Kunzang Wangdi. “It was as good as not having candidates.”

Two persons each from Kuzula and Chokor chiwogs had shown interest to contest for the position of gup, but both did not meet the criteria. The one from Kuzula did not possess a functional literacy certificate. The other one was a former Druk Chirwang Tshogpa member and had not completed his cooling period.

The bye-elections for the post of tshogpa in Phootsena-Ngatse chiwog of Gakiling gewog in Haa dzongkhag and Kachhen-Kuchhen chiwog of Tendruk gewog in Samtse dzongkhag will be held on August 14.

However, no eligible candidates showed up in Phuensoomgang chiwog of Gosarling gewog in Tsirang. The election has also been postponed to next year.

According to the notification, a registered voter aspiring to contest for gewog tshogde tshogpa election should produce signatures of at least five percent of the registered voters from the Chiwog supporting his or her nomination, provided it is from at least five different gungs (households) and no voter or gung has supported more than one nominee.

By MB Subba

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