Thimphu: Women voters have outnumbered their male counterparts in registering themselves to exercise their franchise in Bhutan's historic National Assembly elections on March 24.

A total of 318,465 voters have registered to vote in the general elections, according to the final electoral roll released by the Election Commission of Bhutan.

"Of the total, 161,169 are female voters and 157,296 are male voters," Chief Election Commissioner Kunzang Wangdi said.

"The electoral roll is only for the elections and should not be used for any other purposes," Wangdi said in a statement.

Giving a break-up, the ECB said Gelephu constituency has the highest number of 11,803 registered voters while Goen Khatoe Laya in Gasa district has the lowest with 768.

Each candidate of the two contesting political parties -- Druk Phuensum Tshogpa and Peoples Democratic Party -- will receive a copy of the roll, Wangdi said.

Every polling station will be given the electoral roll in the form of voters lists, he said.

According to the ECB, the roll contains basic and crucial information needed for verification of voters identification and to ensure free and fair elections.
Source : PTI