BHUTAN: Election commission selects 24 March for polls
Updated
The tiny Buddhist state of Bhutan is poised to complete its long-awaited transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy, with the Election Commission selecting March the 24th for parliamentary elections. Upper-house polls were held last month, and the vote for the lower house will complete the journey towards modernity for Bhutan's million citizens. They've been preparing for the switch in earnest, since former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck decided to hand power to an elected government. Last year mock polls were held in the capital Thimpu, to familiarise voters with the election process. The real campaign starts next week.
Presenter: Corinne Podger
Speakers: Kinley Dorji, editor-in-chief of the Bhutanese newspaper Kuensel, Bhutan
