The people of Bhutan have got their first real taste of democracy, having voted in their first election ever. Elections to 15 seats of the country’s 25-seat upper house of parliament were held on Monday. Clearly it was a big day for the Bhutanese people. Thousands trekked several hours through difficult mountain terrain to exercise their franchise for the first time ever. People queued up and waited patiently for several hours to cast their votes and voting was violence-free. Three of the 15 people who have been elected to the upper house are women. The Bhutanese people will now look forward to the next big event — elections to the lower house, when newly formed political parties will battle it out. Monday’s vote is a historic milestone in Bhutan’s transformation from an absolute monarchy to a democracy. Dramatic political changes have been sweeping through this Himalayan kingdom since the King decided to hand over power to an elected government. Hectic preparations for elections have been on since. The just-concluded election is cause for celebration. However, Bhutan has a long way to go on the road to democracy. Elections alone do not make a democracy. The institutions of democracy — a free media, an independent judiciary, rule of law and respect for human rights — must be strengthened and allowed to thrive if democracy should take firm root in Bhutan. Thousands of Bhutanese of ethnic Nepalese origin — at least a sixth of Bhutan’s population — have been denied citizenship. They were not allowed to vote in the election. Exclusion of such a large number of people will make Bhutan’s democracy a bit of a sham.

The excitement about the election notwithstanding, many people did not vote on Monday. This apathy could be attributed in part to centuries of political inactivity. Besides, democracy has come to Bhutan not through mass uprising but from above ie the King decided to hand over power to an elected government. To many Bhutanese used to the quiet order that prevailed under the monarchy, the heat and dust kicked up by elections would seem like needless chaos. However, with every election the awesome power of the vote to bring change will become apparent, prompting more people to exercise their franchise. Bhutan’s tryst with democracy has only just begun.