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Bhutan set to hold first parliamentary elections today

The Himalayan outpost of Bhutan will stage its first parliamentary polls this week as the kingdom steers away from royal rule, but officials worry many voters will stay away.

The elections today represent a dramatic shift of power in Bhutan orchestrated by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck to end absolute royal authority for a more ceremonial role.

The monarch abdicated in December last year in favor of Oxford-educated son King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as part of plans to introduce a constitution and hold direct elections -- a direct break with 100-year-old royal rule.

But many Bhutanese view the looming changes with trepidation, as seen in practice polls in April and May, which saw about 40 percent turnout.

Kuensel, the country's official newspaper, reported that many potential voters in the capital Thimphu have been reluctant to head back to villages as demanded and had not received or applied for postal ballots.

Some federal government workers from outside Thimphu "and many other organizations in the capital did not receive postal ballots," Kuensel reported.

An online poll of 1,310 people carried out by the weekly showed that only 40 percent expect to vote for the upper house National Council of parliament.

There are nearly 313,000 registered voters in the isolated kingdom of 600,000 sandwiched between India and China.

To quell voter fears of corruption, in particular by the new political class, Election Commission guidelines for prospective candidates include a high-school diploma, income and criminal background checks and bans on offering or accepting money.

The upper house has 20 seats up for direct election with another five to be selected by the new king.

The body is intended as a check to the National Assembly or lower house, which will be directly elected for the first time likely in February or March.
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