A total of 283 polling officials and 203 security personnel left for 60 polling stations of the three constituencies in Pemagatshel on September 12 and 13.

The dzongkhag administration arranged transportation to ferry the officials to their stations.

Returning officer (RO) of Nanong-Shumar demkhong, Sonam Bumtap, said the demkhong deployed 83 polling officials and 51 security personnel in 17 polling stations yesterday.

He said that according to the number of voters, 13 polling stations have five polling officials each and four stations have four officials with three security personnel each. They sealed the EVMs on September 10.

Sonam Bumtap said the RO office received 1,288 ballots from the postal ballot facilitation booths, 604 male and 684 female. The office also received 719 conventional postal ballots as of yesterday. The election commission issued 831 conventional postal ballots for this demkhong.

The RO of Nganglam demkhong said the office deployed 84 polling officials and security personnel for the 18 polling stations on September 12. The office sealed the EVMs on September 9.

He said that of the 18 polling stations in the demkhong, some are far with no road access. “Arden in Choekhorling gewog would be the challenging polling station, as the team would have to walk for more than five hours from the gewog centre,” he said. This polling station has 68 registered voters, 29 male and 39 female.

The office has received 500 ballots of the 547 and 1,688 ballots from the postal ballot facilitation booths as of yesterday. “We are expecting more ballots before 5pm today.”

The RO of te Khar-Yurung demkhong, Jigme Dorji, also deployed 116 polling officials and 75 security personnel to the 25 polling stations yesterday.

“The polling station at Woongborang in Dungmin gewog would be challenging, as the team would have to walk about six hours from the nearest road point. The team would also have to cross the Yuri River about 21 times and it’s risky as the river is swollen,” Jigme Dorji said.

According to the RO, the office received 696 ballots from the postal ballot facilitation booths and 998 conventional postal ballots as of yesterday.

Kelzang Wangchuk | Nganglam

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