The new Member of Parliament from the Khamdang-Ramjar constituency in Trashi Yangtse, Karma Gyeltshen formally joined the office today. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court administered the affirmation of office. Before joining politics, he served the STCBL for 22 years and also as its general manager. The MP won the Bye-election against DPT’s candidate by more than a thousand votes in February.
The Bye-election was called for after the former Khamdang-Ramjar MP Kuenga Loday resigned in November last year.
The high court convicted the former MP for the illegal construction of a road and sentenced him to a prison term of five years. He then appealed to the Supreme court. However, the Supreme Court recently upheld the high court’s judgement and dismissed the appeal case.
The former MP was convicted of malicious mischief, breach of public order and tranquillity, hindering prosecutions and violation of the Road Act 2013. The district court sentenced him consecutively for all the charges. He has to serve five years in total. And since it is consecutive sentencing for Misdemeanour and Petty Misdemeanour, the defendants can pay in lieu of the prison term.
Police arrested the MP and one of his nephews in March last year for the construction of an illegal road carried out in September last year.
The road was found to be constructed in a highly restricted and prohibited area despite the refusal of a construction permit by the dzongkhag administration on two occasions.
Following a written complaint from the dzongkhag administration, the Royal Bhutan Police started formal investigations on October 12, 2020.
Karma Wangdi/Tshering Zam
Edited by Sonam
