Bhutan: Second round of elections today

The second round of elections for 3rd National Assembly poll in Bhutan will be held on October 18. The first round in which all the parties contest for the second round of elections was conducted on September 15. After the first round of voting, the two parties Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) and Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), also called as Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party, have qualified for the second round or the run-off round. It is also a big surprise that the ruling party the PDP ( People's Democratic party) did not qualify for the second round or the run-off contest.

In Bhutan, there are two rounds of polling - in the first round of polling, all the parties will contest and in the second round, the top two parties will contest again. It also happened in 2013 that the PDP, which ruled Bhutan since 2013, got less vote than the DPT  in the first round of voting while in second round it got  more seats and formed the government.

In ensuing third National Assembly poll, in the first round the DNT ( Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa ) got 31.85 per cent of votes while the erstwhile ruling party during 2008-13 period  the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa got 30.92% of votes. We cannot draw inference from the first round of voting pattern that DNT will form Govt. In 2013 the PDP got 32.53 much less compared to the then ruling party the DPT which got 44.52% of votes. But in 2013, in second round of polling the PDP got 54.88% with respect to 45.12% of the DPK. Much surprise was evolved that the ruling party during 2013-18 the PDP got 27.444% of votes and did not qualify for the second round of elections.

Bhutan entered in new phase of regime by introducing democracy in 2008. As per the rule in Bhutan the  lower House or the National Assembly has 47 seats and a party will have to contest all the seats. So there is no scope for the coalition politics in Bhutan. The credit for all such fair process goes to the monarch himself. Further only graduates are eligible to contest in Bhutan. It is a little unfair as the country has no such good  track record of literacy. So in 2008 the newly educated graduates were eligible to contest and most of the winners were young. Even in his address to the National Assembly of Bhutan during his first abroad trip Modi lauded the young elected representatives of the House.

In Bhutan’s first National Assembly poll only two parties the PDP and the DNT were in contest so there was no need for the second round. The second round was introduced to avoid the hung House. Not only that but the odd number of seats is a guarantee that the two parties will go for different numbers.

Democracy in Bhutan is a lesson for all such countries which are going for the autocracy particularly countries of middle East and African continent.  Even the People's Republic Of China president can also learn lesson of sharing power from Bhutan. It was the monarch in Bhutan who himself devote power to people without any kind of demand or protest.

Bhutan is a rare case where monarch himself relinquishes power. As per the Constitution of Bhutan the monarch will compulsorily retire at the age of 65. Not only that but the monarchy can be even abolished as per the Constitution.

Since India has big role in Bhutan so the developments in Bhutan also affects India too. Bhutan has renewal sustainable hydro-power capacity of 10000 MW. Hydro-power development and sharing is a win-win situation for both the countries. Since it has the flowing rivers from the South to North so India can tap in the hydro-power and can be mutually beneficial to each other.

It is being rumoured in Chinese media in 2013 that India played a key role in defeat of the incumbent PM in 2013 polls as he was drifting towards China by cancelling the  subsidy on kerosene and LPG. But it is ridiculous that the worth of the cancellation was of mere Rs 50 crore while India has the donated Rs 4,500 crore during the current five year plan of Bhutan. It was a confusion between the MEA and the Petroleum Ministry which created such kind of scenario. But the subsidy was restored soon.

Democracy took its root in Indian neighbouring even from first NA poll. In first NA poll in 2008 the voting percent was 79.4 during the first round which also happens the second round as there was no third party in the contest. In 2013 during second National Assembly elections the voting percent during the first round was 55.27 percent when the ruling party the DNT established lead with the PDP as the second party to contest for the second round. In the second round of poll the voting percent was 66.23 much less than the first NA poll in 2008.  The greater participation of voters in second round of polling during 2013 NA poll has tiled the scale in favour of the opposition party and the runner during the first round of voting.