Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar

Out of more than 3,261 voters who registered for the conventional postal ballot in Samdrupjongkhar, the three returning officers (RO) received about 2,401 ballots as of 5pm yesterday.

The RO office in Samdrupjongkhar received 1,011 ballots and started opening envelope A. About 1,555 registered for the postal ballot in Dewathang-Gomdar, including the thromde and overseas.

Out of the 875 voters registered for the postal ballot in Samdrupcholing drungkhag, including those residing overseas, the RO office received 658 ballots. The office rejected about 25 ballots during the opening of envelope A. The Returning Officer office in Jomotshangkha received 732 ballots. About 831 have registered for the postal ballot in Jomotshangkha.

Meanwhile, out of the 3,524 registered for the conventional postal ballot in Pemagatshel, the RO offices received 3,351 ballots as of 5pm yesterday.

Out of the 1,175 voters registered for the postal ballot in Khar-Yurung, the RO office received 1,139 ballots, while the office rejected about three ballots.

The RO office in Nanong-Shumar received 1,415 ballots out of the 1,477 registered and rejected about 15 ballots, while out of the 872 registered in Nganglam, the RO office received 797 ballots.

The RO offices have started opening envelope A in Samdrupjongkhar and Pemagatshel on December 20.

Returning Officers cited common mistakes such as voters not indicating their citizen identity number (CID) on the ballots, mismatch of name and CID number, and the voters signing themselves as witnesses, among other reasons for ballot rejection.

The RO offices deployed about 568 officials to the 71 polling stations in Samdrupjongkhar on December 20. Each station has eight officials, including the security personnel.

While about 406 officials were deployed to 60 polling stations in Pemagatshel, twenty-three stations have eight, and 37 stations have six polling officials, including the security personnel.

Samdrupjongkhar has about 27,000, and Pemagatshel has more than 28,000 eligible registered voters.