Elections of new Camp Management Committees (CMCs) in the camps are slated for January 20 and 21.
According to the Refugee Co-ordination Unit (RCU) at Chandragadi of Jhapa, some 47,597 voters above 18 years are casting their votes during the elections.
Unlike in previous years where only the household head was allowed to cast the vote, the RCU this year has set provisions allowing all exiled Bhutanese above 18 years to cast their votes, Deputy RCU Director Lekh Nath Pokhrel informed.
Of the total voters, 24,214 are males and 23,383 are females, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)’s statistics revealed.
- Three Camp Secretaries of Beldangi camps, Narad Mani Sanyashi, TB Gurung and Ganapati Adhikari (from left)/courtesy :titopiromitho.com
Meanwhile, the camp management authorities are preparing to elect a single Camp Secretary for three Beldangi camps along with two Deputy Camp Secretaries.
However, the camp residents have been protesting against such a decision, Beldangi-I Camp Secretary, TB Gurung, informed Bhutan News Service.
On the other hands, asylum seekers and those whose cases have been pending for registration have warned of disturbing the election preparations.
They have demanded their registration first and then only the election where they would also be getting the chance to cast their votes.
Camp Secretaries of three Beldangi camps have expressed their solidarity in their demand, one of the agitating Bhutanese informed.
These elections will fulfill the positions at CMCs which have remained vacant after the resettlement of those who occupied them.
