The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Four supporters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Khar-Yurung constituency under Pema Gatshel were fined Nu 150 per day each for one month for conducting unlawful public meeting by unregistered party worker on June 27.
The Dzongkhag Election Officer, Rinzin Lhendup said, “This is an unlawful practice and it is illegal according to the ECB Act 2008 section 291, and they were imposed a fine of Nu 150 per day each for one month, as Nu. 150 is the national labour charge. The fine is imposed in order to prevent future mishaps, and it was imposed according to their offence.”
According to ECB Act 2008 section 291, no candidate or political party shall permit any other person to carry out election campaign on his/her or its behalf, except by persons authorized under the Act.
The complaint was lodged on June 20 by Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s (DPT) Yurung gewog coordinator Sangay Norbu against PDP’s unregistered party worker holding an unauthorized party meeting.
The Dzongkhag Election Dispute Settlement Body (DEDSB) that investigated the case found the four people, comprising of the former Gup Tendi Gyeltshen, Pema Tshewang, Dorji Wangchuk, and village tshogpa Pema Zangmo to be guilty and therefore, fined as mandated.
Two unregistered party worker of PDP, a former Gup Tendi Gyeltshen and Pema Tshewang went to Lungkholam village under Khar-Yurung constituency and had held an unauthorized meeting. Dorji Wangchuk also participated in the meeting and helped in the meeting.
A village tshogpa Pema Zangmo who represent an apolitical group should not have been involved in the political party meeting, but she had also helped to call the meeting and also attended the meeting. She was imposed a fine of Nu 150 per day for period of one month for breaching the ECB Act of 2008.
Tshering Dorji / Thimphu
ecb act must be amended
it is not fair on their part. no democracy in Bhutan.