2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election
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National Council elections were held in Bhutan for the first time on 31 December 2007,[1] having been originally scheduled for 26 December.[2] The new National Council had 25 members, which 20 members were directly elected from 20 dzongkhags by 312,817 eligible voters,[3] and five more were appointed by the Druk Gyalpo. Nominations had to be filed by 27 November 2007, and the campaigning for 15 of the 20 dzongkhags took place from 30 November until 31 December 2007.[4]
The elections were not held in five dzongkhags (Thimphu, Trashiyangtse, Gasa, Haa and Lhuntse) on 31 December 2007 since they either did not have any candidate or had only a single candidate till the last date for filing the nominations and the election rules state that there should be at least two candidates for each dzongkhag, otherwise the election would be postponed for that particular dzongkhag.[5] The elections in these five dzongkhags were held on 29 January 2008.[6]