Bhutanese National Council election, 2007–2008

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Bhutanese National Council election, 2007–2008 20 (of the 30) seats to the National Council
December 31, 2007 and January 29, 2008
Seats won		20

Bhutan

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Bhutan

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck Council of Ministers Prime Minister Jigme Thinley Je Khenpo Parliament of Bhutan National Assembly of Bhutan National Council of Bhutan Political parties Elections: 2007–08 - 2008 Royal High Court Districts Foreign relations

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The general elections to the National Council of Bhutan, the upper house of the new bicameral Parliament of Bhutan were held for the first time on December 31, 2007,^[1] though they were originally scheduled for December 26, 2007.^[2] The National Council of Bhutan will consist of 25 members, out of which 20 members will be directly elected from 20 dzongkhags by 312,817 elegible voters,^[3] and five more will be nominated by the Druk Gyalpo (king). Nominations had to be filed by November 27, 2007, and the campaigning for 15 of the 20 dzongkhags took place from November 30, 2007 until December 31, 2007.^[4].

The elections were not held in five dzongkhags (Thimphu, Trashiyangtse, Gasa, Haa and Lhuntse) on December 31, 2007 since they either did not have any candidate or had only a single candidate till the last date for filing the nominations and the election rules state that there should be at least two candidates for each dzongkhag, otherwise the election would be postponed for that particular dzongkhag.^[5] The elections in these five dzongkhags were held on January 29, 2008.^[6]

Contents 1 Election procedure 2 Candidates 3 Results 4 References

[edit] Election procedure

In contrast to the National Assembly's 47 party-based members, the National Council members are not elected on a party basis and are meant to be eminent people from civil society. The two conditions laid down for the candidature for the National Council of Bhutan are the non-affiliation to any political party and the minimum qualification of graduation from a university. The candidates for a particular dzongkhag are selected through the zomdus (meetings) convened in each gewog of that dzongkhag specifically for this purpose.^[7]

[edit] Candidates

43 candidates contested in 15 dzongkhags in the election held on December 31, 2007.^[8][9] The highest number of candidates were in Samtse, Dagana, Mongar and Paro with four candidates each. Samdrup Jongkhar, Sarpang, Trongsa, Punakha and Trashigang had three candidates each. Chukha, Pemagatsel, Tsirang, Bumthang, Wangduephodrang and Zhemgang had two candidates each.^[5]

A total of 48 candidates filed their nominations for this election till November 27, 2007. The names of these candidates are:^[5]

Dzongkhag	Gewog	Candidate
Bumthang	Chhoekhor	Jigme Palden
Bumthang	Ura	Tshewang Jurmin
Chukha	Bongo	Sonam Dorji Wangchuk
Chukha	Bjachho	Tshewang Lhamo
Chukha	Chapcha	Thinley Dorji
Dagana	Kana	Sonam Dorji
Dagana	Drujeygang	Kesang Dema
Dagana	Tshendeygang	Mongal Singh Gurung
Dagana	Lhamoyzingkha	Krishna Bahadur Tamang
Gasa		None
Haa	Bji	Tshering Dorji
Lhuntse	Khoma	Rinzin Dorji
Mongar	Silambi	Choki Drakpa
Mongar	Saling	Naichu
Mongar	Chali	Pema Tenzin
Mongar	Chaskhar	Pema Wangdi
Paro	Dopshari	Ugyen Tshering
Paro	Lango	Ugyen Tshering
Paro	Wangchang	Phub Dorji
Paro	Lungnyi	Jambay
Pema Gatshel	Dechenling	Sangay Tempa
Pema Gatshel	Shumar	Jigme Rinzin
Punakha	Goen Shari	Namgay Penjore
Punakha	Kabjisa	Sangay Phurba
Punakha	Talo	Namgay Ratty Dorji
Samdrup Jongkhar	Orong	Kuenga Dorji
Samdrup Jongkhar	Deothang	Sangay Lhendup
Samdrup Jongkhar	Lauri	Jigme Wangchuk
Samtse	Dorokha	Chhatrapati Phuyel
Samtse	Chargaray	Mani Kumar Rai
Samtse	Bara	Lal Bahadur Gurung
Samtse	Tendu	Bishnu Lal Gurung
Sarpang	Gelephu	Karma Donnen Wangdi
Sarpang	Shompangkha	Jamyang Sherub Wangdi
Sarpang	Dekiling	Dhan Bahadur Mongar
Thimphu	Thim Throm	Sangay Zam
Trashigang	Shongphu	Sonam Kuenga
Trashigang	Bidung	Tashi Tshering
Trashigang	Samkhar	Ngawang Jamtsho
Trashiyangtse	Yalang	Kezang Namgyal
Trongsa	Nubi	Namgay Wangchuk
Trongsa	Tangsibji	Jagar Dorji
Trongsa	Korphu	Chimi Dorji
Tsirang	Kikorthang	Pema Dukpa
Tsirang	Phuentenchhu	Justin Gurung
Wangduephodrang	Nyisho	Sonam Yangchen
Wangduephodrang	Phangyul	Kaka Dawa
Zhemgang	Trong	Pema Dhendup
Zhemgang	Nangkor	Pema Lhamo

The candidature of Thinley Dorji from Chapcha gewog of Chukha dzongkhag was cancelled by the Election Commission of Bhutan (because of his affiliation to a political party) on December 7, 2007.

After an additional nomination period, the candidates for the five dzongkhags which had postponed their elections were as follows:^[10]

Dzongkhag	Gewog	Candidate
Gasa	Goenkhatey	Sangay Khandu
Haa	Bji	Tshering Dorji
Lhuentse	Khoma	Rinzin Dorji
Thimphu	???	Sangay Tsoki
Thimphu	Thim Throm	Sangay Zam
Trashiyangtse	???	Kelzang Wangdi
Trashiyangtse	Yalang	Kezang Namgyal
Trashiyangtse	???	Sherub Tenzin
Trashiyangtse	???	Ugyen Wangdi

[edit] Results

The 15 members of the National Council of Bhutan who were elected on December 31, 2007 are:^[11]

Dzongkhag	Gewog	Winner
Bumthang	Ura	Tshewang Jurmin
Chukha	Bjachho	Tshewang Lhamo
Dagana	Kana	Sonam Dorji
Mongar	Saling	Naichu
Paro	Dopshari	Ugyen Tshering
Pema Gatshel	Shumar	Jigme Rinzin
Punakha	Goen Shari	Namgay Penjore
Samdrup Jongkhar	Lauri	Jigme Wangchuk
Samtse	Chargaray	Mani Kumar Rai
Sarpang	Gelephu	Karma Donnen Wangdi
Trashigang	Shongphu	Sonam Kuenga
Trongsa	Tangsibji	Jagar Dorji
Tsirang	Phuentenchhu	Justin Gurung
Wangdue Phodrang	Nyisho	Sonam Yangchen
Zhemgang	Nangkor	Pema Lhamo

In the remaining five dzongkhags, the following candidates were elected:^[12]

Dzongkhag	Gewog	Winner
Gasa	Goenkhatey	Sangay Khandu†
Haa	Bji	Tshering Dorji†
Lhuentse	Khoma	Rinzin Dorji†
Thimphu	Thim Throm	Sangay Zam
Trashiyangtse	Yalang	Kezang Namgyal

† elected unopposed

[edit] References

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