Suspicions Loom Over Bhutan’s Chief Election Body
Political Parties Raise Concerns Over Election Commission of Bhutan’s Alleged Lapses
By Vishal Arora
Newsreel Asia Perspective
Dec. 11, 2023
As Bhutan approaches its general elections on 9 Jan., 2024, some political parties are doubting the perceived impartiality of the country’s chief election body. Central to their concerns are alleged “oversights” by the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) that have ended up favouring the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a party known for its alignment with India’s strategic interests.
Bhutan, a landlocked nation of roughly 770,000 people situated between two regional powerhouses, India and China, has a unique two-round electoral system. In the first round, voters cast a ballot among all parties qualified for the election. This primary round was held on Nov. 30, with five contesting parties.
The two parties that receive the most votes across the country advance to the second round. This time, it’s the PDP and the Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP). The candidates of these top two parties will now compete in 47 single-member constituencies on Jan. 9. The candidate in each constituency with the most votes will be elected.
The political party landscape in Bhutan is diverse, yet ideologically somewhat similar. Bhutan, a constitutional monarchy, sees its king deeply respected and trusted by the populace.
Politics
The PDP, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, is as old as the nation’s shift to democracy itself. While the PDP is not inherently conservative, Mr. Tobgay’s tenure from July 2013 to August 2018 was marked by an extremely cautious approach. He maintained the status quo in various domains, including Bhutan’s foreign policy, the extent of civil liberties and the national commitment to the policy of Gross National Happiness, among other areas.
The PDP emerged as a frontrunner in the primary election, securing a significant 42.5% of the vote, according to the ECB.
The BTP, with which the PDP will compete in the main elections, is Bhutan’s youngest political party, registered in January 2023. Led by “Dasho” Pema Chewang, a bureaucrat for over 32 years until November 2022, the party campaign is focused on service delivery, infrastructure, agriculture and national prosperity. Dasho Chewang holds a Master’s degree in development economics from Australian National University. In Bhutan, the title “Dasho” is an honorific, often bestowed upon individuals holding high official positions.
The BTP performed well in debates and engaged with various segments of society focusing on marginalised communities and women. It secured 19.5% of the vote in the primaries.
The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), a party with a history as long as the PDP’s, provided Bhutan with its first democratic Prime Minister, Mr. Jigme Thinley, from April 2008 to April 2013. This was after the fourth king of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, introduced democracy to the nation, a move that was seen as “imposed” on the people against their wishes. Mr. Tobgay was the opposition leader during Mr. Thinley’s leadership.
The DPT secured 14.9% of the vote in the primary election in November.
The Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT), established in 2013, is headed by Dr. Lotay Tshering, a surgeon who served as Prime Minister from November 2018 to November 2023. The DNT received only 13.1% of the vote. The modest support for the party could be attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s lives and livelihoods during his tenure. But during his leadership, Bhutan advanced its border talks with China amid India’s concerns over Beijing’s growing influence in the region.
The fifth party, Druk Thuendrel Tshogpa (DTT), secured only 9.8% of the vote. Established in 2022, the party’s campaign revolved around the concept of “Sunomics” – “sun,” which is the party’s emblem, and “economics” – a concept rooted in “Buddhist capitalism with the spirit of Gross National Happiness.”
Geopolitics
The PDP’s landslide victory in the runoff has apparently met with favour in Indian strategic circles, as articulated in The Telegraph’s Dec. 6 editorial.
“Bhutan’s heavy economic dependence on India means that the next government will need to double down on ties with New Delhi to deliver on Mr Tobgay’s promises,” the editorial board wrote. “For New Delhi, such a situation would be reassuring at a time when the Maldives, led by a new China-leaning government, has decided to expel Indian soldiers posted on the archipelago in a show of defiance.”
The editorial added, “China has also increased its investments and influence in Bangladesh and Nepal in recent years although it faces accusations of debt-trap diplomacy. A PDP win in January would give India the opportunity to truly help Bhutan rebuild its economy.”
Against this backdrop, the critical role of the ECB becomes evident, particularly from the viewpoint of the other four parties. Sources in these parties told Newsreel Asia they had observed alleged lapses by the ECB. Although these lapses were technical, they have sparked considerable concerns within political circles.
The sources, candidates who participated in the primary round, requested anonymity due to the perceived geopolitical implications of the election. In Bhutan, it is uncommon for individuals to openly criticise any issue linked to the country’s relations with India, especially in foreign media. India’s historical and ongoing support for Bhutan, ranging from infrastructure development to economic assistance, is well-documented. Bhutan’s economic dependence on India is significant.
Lapses
According to the ECB’s notification dated Nov. 3, for the 4th Parliamentary Elections 2023-2024, Sections C(4) and C(5) stated that political parties aiming to contest in the National Assembly Elections were required to submit their Letter of Intent (LoI) to the ECB’s Registrar of Political Parties by 5 pm on Nov. 4, 2023. This LoI needed to include a list of candidates for each of the 47 National Assembly constituencies, in line with the criteria.
Furthermore, as per Section D(12) of the notification, regarding the scrutiny of the LoI, the ECB was scheduled to scrutinise the submitted LoIs on Nov. 5, 2023, and issue letters of acceptance or rejection on the same day.
The PDP submitted nominations for 47 candidates, but one of their representatives for the Ugyentse-Yoeseltse constituency in Samtse district was found ineligible due to not meeting the age criteria, which is below 65 years. This means the PDP didn’t have all 47 candidates meeting the criteria. On Nov. 5, the day after the last date for submitting the list, the PDP nominated Dimple Thapa as a replacement and filed her nomination. Further, Thapa received the required Audit Clearance and No Objection Certificate from the police on Nov. 6, two days after the list of candidates was to be submitted.
The four other parties that participated in the primaries lodged complaints with the ECB regarding this issue. However, the ECB chose not to respond to these grievances, the sources said.
The ECB perhaps cannot dismiss this as a mere oversight, the candidates who spoke to Newsreel Asia argued. In the 2013 general election, the ECB set a precedent by disqualifying the Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party – which was dissolved in January 2023 – for having two candidates fewer than required, according to Bhutan Broadcasting Service. The party struggled to find two candidates from the Gasa area, as the requirement for candidates to be graduates posed a challenge – there were only 33 graduates across both constituencies at the time.
Should the party have considered nominating non-graduate candidates temporarily? This tactic could have bought time, allowing the party to search for qualified candidates after the expected disqualification of the non-graduates, sources argued.
Further, the ECB disqualified a BTP candidate from the Sombaykha constituency, days after the primary round, citing a violation of Section 179 C of the Election Act of Bhutan, which states that a candidate or elected member in Bhutan can be disqualified for holding office under the Constitution if they have been convicted and imprisoned for a criminal offense, found guilty of election corruption, dismissed or removed from public or corporate sector employment, etc. This means even the second party eligible for the main general election had only 46 eligible candidates, sources pointed out.
A government in Thimphu aligned with New Delhi's strategic interests is understandably favourable from an Indian standpoint. However, both parties concur that Bhutan’s democratic integrity is paramount. The suspicion over the ECB’s neutrality, due to its alleged lapses in the context of the current geopolitical dynamics, might be adverse for both countries.