December 31, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 20, 1428

NEW DELHI: The Himalayan outpost of Bhutan stages its first parliamentary polls this week as the kingdom steers away from royal rule, but officials worry many voters will stay away.

The Dec 31 elections represent a dramatic shift of power in Bhutan orchestrated by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck to end absolute royal authority for a more ceremonial role.

The monarch abdicated in December 2006 in favour of Oxford-educated son King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as part of plans to introduce a constitution and hold direct elections — a direct break with 100-year-old royal rule. But many Bhutanese view the looming changes with trepidation, as seen in practice polls in April and May which saw about 40 per cent turnout.

Kuensel, the nation’s official newspaper, reported that many potential voters in the capital Thimphu have been reluctant to head back to villages as demanded and had not received or applied for postal ballots. Some federal government workers from outside Thimphu “and many other organisations in the capital did not receive postal ballots,” Kuensel reported.

There are nearly 313,000 registered voters in the isolated kingdom of 600,000.—AFP