THIMPHU, Bhutan — Political leaders in the Buddhist nation of Bhutan announced a nearly six-month ban on public religious activities ahead of the upcoming elections, citing the Himalayan nation’s constitution that says “religion shall remain above politics.”
A notification by the Election Commission of Bhutan asks people’s “prayers and blessings” for the second parliamentary election, expected in June 2013. But it also states that religious institutions and clergy “shall not hold, conduct, organize or host” any public activity from Jan. 1 until the election.
The ban comes a year after the country’s religious affairs ministry identified Buddhist and Hindu clergy who should be barred from voting to keep a clear distinction between religion and politics. Election Commissioner Chogyel Dago Rigdzin explained that the ban is a “preventive measure” to avoid mixing religion and politics.
Formerly a Buddhist monarchy for more than a century, Bhutan held its first democratic elections in 2008. The nation’s constitution, which says Mahayana Buddhism is the state religion, provides funding for Buddhist monks.
Share with others: