A Bhutanese woman having a look of the election posters in Samdrup Jongkhar district of southeast Bhutan on 20 March, 2008. Campaigning for the Bhutan's first general election will come to an end on 22 March and voting will take place on 24 March 2008. The kingdom is all set to shift from monarchy to parliamentary democracy. An estimated 400,000 voters in the Himalayan kingdom of about 600,000 people are eligible to exercise their right in 869 polling booths spread over 47 parliamentary constituencies. EPA/STR
A Bhutanese polling officer marks a voter with ink at a polling station in Rikhey constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
A Bhutanese voter is checked as he queues at a polling station in Rikhey constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
A Bhutanese voter shows her identity card at a polling station in Rikhey constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
Bhutanese women queue at a polling station in Rikhey constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
Bhutanese men and women queue at a polling station in Rikhey constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
A Bhutanese voter is checked as she queues at a polling station in Rikhey constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
Bhutanese voters take a rest after casting their ballot at a polling station in Rikhey constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
Bhutanese voters show their ID cards as they queue to cast their vote during Bhutan's first general election in Deothang constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
Bhutanese voters show their ID cards as they queue to cast their vote during Bhutan's first general election in Deothang constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
Elderly Bhutanese women take rest after casting vote during Bhutan's first general election in Rikhey constituency in Sandrup Jongkhar district of Bhutan on 24 March 2008. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan took its final step towards becoming a democracy with more than 70 per cent of voters turning out to elect members to the country's first National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. Bhutan's transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy was started by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who handed over powers of daily administration to a council of ministers in 2001. EPA/STR
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