THIMPHU, March 23 : “As you approach the duty of voting at the elections that will bring democracy, do so with pride and confidence. This transition is a Bhutanese transition.”

Twenty-eight-year-old King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk of Bhutan couldn’t have put it more aptly. For, when his country votes tomorrow for its first democratically elected parliament, it will be a transition that the world has rarely seen before: a monarchy of its own will setting the stage for a government chosen by the people. An election which the King has himself ordained for his people, and in which he, other members of the royal family and those belonging to important religious institutions, cannot participate under the Constitution.

Bhutan looks set to respond to the King’s words in kind. Thimphu hotels, usually crowded with international tourists, are empty these days. Most of the hospitality staff have left for their villages to cast votes. In the valley, a majority of the 45,000 residents have left for their respective villages — many in extremely remote areas — to exercise their franchise. About the only remaining population in the some constituencies are their registered voters.

Bhutan’s transition to democracy after 1,000 years of hereditary monarchy was set in motion by the present King’s father, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuk. He started a phased movement towards democracy earlier this decade, and tomorrow’s election formally marks an end to absolute monarchy and the beginning of a constitutional democracy.

A 318,465-strong electorate spread across 47 constituencies in 20 Bhutan districts, holding photo identity cards, will elect 47 candidates to the National Assembly, out of 94 contestants in the fray. It’s a one-on-one battle on all the seats as only two parties registered themselves for the first-ever electoral battle — the People Democratic Party (PDP) and the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa.

Among the enthusiastic voters is Bhakta, a Thimphu-based tour guide. “Voting this time is a must and a sacred duty as per the wish of His Majesty. We will have to make the electoral process a success,” he said before leaving for his village in Geluphu — at least a day’s trek away, through mountains.

Chief Election Commissioner Dasho Kunzang Wangdi is optimistic too. Though the turnout for the National Council (upper house) election held in December 2007 was a poor 53 per cent, Wangdi expects more than 70 per cent to vote tomorrow. “Utmost importance is being attached to tomorrow’s polls. The National Assembly is very crucial in the path to transition,” he says.

At the same time, there is fear and anxiety. Wangdi is apprehensive about the Southern Bhutan district, facing twin threats from Indian underground organisations like the ULFA and the Maoists in Nepal sheltered in Jhapa refugee camps.

The underground outfits might try to “avenge” their ouster from Bhutan jungles in the Operation Flushout in 2003, while Nepal Maoists have been repeatedly threatening of disrupting the electoral process.

Says an indignant Wangdi: “They are demanding that the ‘sham’ election in Bhutan be scrapped. Not one person has been disenfranchised. All bona fide citizens of Bhutan have been enlisted in the voters’ list through a rigorous process of verification. If the people in Jhapa camps were Bhutanese, they should have been in Bhutan now.”

The Nepalese issue, in fact, remains touchy. The PDP candidate from Gelephu, Garab Dorji, was disqualified as he allegedly used a government policy document to influence a large number of Bhutanese voters of Nepalese origin in his constituency.

Bhutan takes first step forward

• Total electorate: 318,365 out of a total population of 672,425

• Total National Assembly seats: 47

• Magic Number: 24, as simple majority would be enough to form government in this bi-party poll

• Total candidates: 94, including 9 women

• Total polling stations: 865. IAF choppers helped reach ballots to the highest polling station, in Lunana

• International observers: 42

• Media: Over 60 international media agencies and over 100 international journalists