National Council elections on December 26
The Himalayan nation's poll panel has announced the elections of Bhutan's National Council, the upper house of parliament to be held on December 26.
The Himalayan nation's poll panel has announced the elections of Bhutan's National Council, the upper house of parliament to be held on December 26.
The National Council will have 20 directly elected members and five members appointed by the King.
The last date for filing of nominations is November 27. Campaigning will begin on November 30, also the last date for withdrawal of candidature.
"We will scrutinise the nomination of candidates to see if they fulfil all criteria on November 28," said Chief Election Commissioner Kunzang Wangdi.
"The campaign will end on December 24, two days before poll day," said Wangdi.
The results will be declared and submitted to the King on December 27.
The Election Commission has also released the final list of 864 polling stations for the National Council elections.
Elections to the National Assembly -- the lower house -- will be held in two rounds -- a primary round in February 2008 and the main polls in March. The National Assembly will have 47 seats.
The current Assembly, established in 1953 as the highest legislative body in the country, has already held its last session and will be dissolved on July 31.
The first two rounds of dummy polls in this nation that will embrace democracy next year were held in April and May.