GUWAHATI: Thousands of officials are being trained and voters asked to familiarise themselves with election processes as Bhutan prepares to hold its first polls in 2008. The elections will appoint a government meant to take over from the isolated Himalayan nation’s absolute monarchy.

Bhutanese Chief Election Commissioner Dasho Kunzang Wangdi told Reuters on Wednesday preparations for the polls had already begun and a mock election would be held in 2007 to familiarise voters and officials with electoral practices.

Wangdi said the 2008 polls would be held in two phases, to pave the way for a two-party democracy. In the first phase all political parties would be allowed to nominate as many candidates as they wanted.

In the second phase, only the two parties which have polled the highest number of votes would be allowed to fight it out in each constituency.—Reuters