Parties continue intimidating people

Thimphu, July 04: Recently formed All People’s Party (APP) has filed complaint at the Election Commission regarding the activities of other parties forcing the people to take membership of their parties.

The APP official said they intend to draw attention of the commission about the atrocities of the parties before formal registration of the political parties begin with the commission.

The party said all the eligible voters in rural areas are forced to take membership of the parties. Similar, incident had occurred in Bumthang and Lhuentse sometime ago where the local organizers of parties forced the people to fill up party membership forms saying it was for registering at the election commission required for voting.

The forms now distributed for membership with the parties stated that once the people register with one party, they in no means or ways would support other.

As the intimidation of the people at rural level by parties’ local leaders continues, the commission remains dormant. The party leaders at centre escape saying they cannot shoulder the responsibilities of the activities at the local level because they all are done unofficially. 
 
Commission said it cannot take initiatives into such matters unless the parties are registered formally. Bhutan News Service