453 postal ballots still pending as of last evening

Lhakpa Quendren

Gelephu — Sarpang Dzongkhag Election Office received 6,226 postal ballots as of last evening, out of the 6,679 postal ballots dispatched for its two constituencies. 

The Gelephu constituency received 4,141 postal ballots, including eight postal ballots from overseas. It has dispatched 4,445 postal ballots, including 56 postal ballots from overseas. 

Shompangkha received 2,083 postal ballots from within the country and two postal ballots from overseas, out of the total 2,205 postal ballots dispatched domestically and 29 from overseas.

The election official from Sarpang dzongkhag said that the remaining 453 postal ballots, including 75 from overseas, were expected to be received from the Bhutan Post. This includes 304 postal ballots for Gelephu and 149 postal ballots for Shompangkha constituencies.

According to election officials, the number of postal ballots is lower for the general election because students, trainees, and teachers have opted for electronic voting machines (EVMs) due to their winter vacation.

Of the 84 eligible people with disabilities (PwDs)—35 males and 49 females—in Sarpang, 81 PwDs, comprising 34 males and 47 females, have participated in special early voting.

Two females and one male PwD could not avail themselves of early voting facilities. “Both female individuals were hospitalised due to severe illness and were not present at their residences,” said an official.

A female PwD from Gakiling Gewog was referred to an overseas hospital due to deteriorating health, while the male PwD from Serzhong recently passed away, according to the election officials.

Out of the total 81 PwDs with a 96.4 percent turnout, three PwDs, comprising two males and one female, reside in other dzongkhags.

Seven teams were established and dispersed across 61 Chiwogs and Gelephu Thromde to efficiently deliver and collect ballots from registered PwD voters over three days.

The dzongkhag election management body deployed 344 polling officials and security personnel across 43 polling stations in 61 Chiwogs, covering 12 Gewogs and Gelephu Thromde in Sarpang for the conduct of the general elections today.

Sarpang has 35,126 registered voters, with 17,458 being male and 17,668 female. The registered voter has seen an increase of 196 voters in the general round compared to the 34,930 registered voters in the primary round.