The Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) successfully conducted the Dispute Settlement Capacity Enhancement Workshop, 2026, from 9th to 14th March in Tsirang, with the participation of 62 officials. The workshop aimed to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance operational readiness, and uphold electoral integrity in preparation for the upcoming Local Government Elections. It provided a comprehensive platform to reflect on ECB’s constitutional mandate and to improve dispute settlement mechanisms through focused sessions on campaign monitoring, electoral processes, voter engagement, and digital transformation, while reinforcing professionalism, accountability, and ethical conduct.
A key feature of the workshop was a panel discussion on “Social Media and Elections,” involving experts from JSW Law School, the media, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), and GovTech Agency. The discussion highlighted the growing influence of social media, along with its opportunities and risks, including misinformation and regulatory challenges. Additionally, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) presented the National Integrity Assessment (2022), which acknowledged ECB’s strong performance while emphasizing the need to further strengthen accountability, ethical leadership, and transparency. The workshop concluded with a pledge signing ceremony, reaffirming officials’ commitment to integrity and professionalism, and was followed by a one-day Training of Trainers (ToT) on the Civic Education Programme (CEP) to prepare officials for nationwide civic education initiatives.
