A year after the parliament endorsed the establishment of 16 dzongkhag thromdes, the Supreme Court issued a writ to the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) to defer thromde elections in these dzongkhags. The writ was issued in August 2016 when these dzongkhags were preparing for the thromde elections. But for the remaining four thromdes of Gelegphu, Phuentshogling, Samdrup Jongkhar and Thimphu, the election was conducted as scheduled.
The writ ordered the ECB to form a high-level commission to address inconsistencies in the Local Government (Amendment) Act, 2014, the Election Act and some other related legislations.
While seeking updates on the matter from the government of the day, the foreign minister said they are reviewing the LG Act to harmonise with other relevant laws.
“We have asked the Office of the Attorney General and our own legal officers to have a look at this. The Department of Local Governance also has looked at the LG Act. The provisions that are in contradiction to the constitution are being reworked. So we are hoping to put the amendment of the LG Act to the parliament within the next one or two sessions, at least during our tenure, we will be able to revise and amend the LG Act. Similarly, the Election Act, if it requires amendment will also be amended,” said Dr Tandi Dorji, the Foreign Minister.
The minister said it is premature to have Thrompons in most of the dzongkhag thromdes at this juncture.
“Right now, in my personal opinion also, most of the thromdes are too small to have a thrompon. It will be a waste of a lot of resources if we are to have an election in all 20 dzongkhags. There is also the question of satellite towns. So we need to have a holistic look at it,” Lyonpo added.
The Urban Planning and Development Division under the Department of Human Settlement of the Works and Human Settlement Ministry, which is one of the key stakeholders reviewing the LG Act couldn’t agree more.
“It is not necessary that all dzongkhag thromdes and the dzongkhag yenlag thromdes be established at one go. So if we establish a thromde in Gasa, there will not be firstly enough people to elect the thromde tshogdes, secondly as required by the constitution, the thromdes will not have enough resources to meet their recurring expenses. So we must understand that the different facets and dynamics in establishing a thromde,” said Tashi Penjor, the Chief Urban Planner at the MoWHS.
Some of the dzongdas also have similar reservations against establishing the thromde tshogdes through thromde elections at the moment.
“Just now Trashigang is a very small town with some 100 shops. We generate not even Nu 100,000 of revenue. And the thrompon’s salary might come around Nu 60,000 and there are other staff too. So, as of now, for a small thromde, a thromde thuemi is enough to represent thromde issues,” said Chekey Gyeltshen, the Trashigang Dzongda.
“The Constitution says there should a dzongkhag thromde each in all the dzongkhag. However, it does not underline that a dzongkhag thromde needs to be established immediately. So, it is important that the works and human settlement ministry, home ministry and the election commission discuss thoroughly, set criteria for the thromde establishment and see if all dzongkhags are ready for it,” added Pema, the Tsirang Dzongda.
Meanwhile, most of the dzongkhag thromdes are undergoing a facelift in terms of urban facilities. The works and human settlement ministry, being the nodal agency for the overall urban development of the country, said this will be an ongoing development in 16 districts whether the thromde elections happen or not.
This is because the ministry received no instructions from the government to stop the developmental works. It also reasoned that building a thromde or a township is for the people to reap benefits of urban amenities and not one of the means for the thromde to prepare for the elections.
So, what lies ahead for these 16 dzongkhag thromdes in terms of the establishment of thromde tshogdes through an election? Well, the government says everything will fall in place once the Local Government Act and other related laws are amended and a holistic review is done.
As for three of the four thromdes- Gelegphu, Phuentshogling and Thimphu; people are going to the poll on the 28th of this month, which is only a few days away.
Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde is expected to have the third thromde elections this fall.
Pema Lhaden
