March 1: The Election Commission has authorized election officials and security personnel to restrain the Nangkor and Shingkhar gewog coordinators of the People’s Democratic Party from attending or being involved in any political meetings and campaigns.

In a restraining order issued on the February 28, the Election Commission says Phuntsho, PDP Coordinator for Nangkor Gewog and Younten, PDP Coordinator for Shingkhar gewog under Zhemgang Dzongkhag were found acting in a suspicious manner by following the DPT Party during the campaign period, from Buli, Nimzhong to Tingtibi and noting registration numbers of the vehicles of the DPT and their supporters.

The Chief Election Commissioner has directed election officials and security personnel that the two persons be restrained from any type of political and electoral process including attendances of political meetings and support to the conduct of campaigns, except for the exercise of right to cast their votes on the poll day.

Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s Trongsa coordinator and party officials have refuted the allegations made by the People’s Democratic Party.

Earlier this week, the People’s Democratic Party accused the DPT president Jigmi Y. Thinley and party workers of making defamatory statements during the campaign meetings in Trongsa and Zhemgang.

In a letter to the Dzongkhag Chief Election Coordinator, the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s Trongsa coordinator and party officials said their president while educating voters across the kingdom, has always referred to bad practices in democracies to ensure that we do not adopt them in introducing democracy in the country, and said the same in Trongsa Dzongkhag.

It adds that the DPT meetings in the five gewogs of Trongsa were attended by observers, gups and returning officers. Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s Trongsa coordinator and party officials say the Langthel and Drakteng gewog coordinators of the PDP who made the allegations were not present during the DPT meetings.