The Annual Audit Report 2020-2021 will be deliberated in the upcoming summer session. After much deliberation, the Joint Sitting of the Parliament by show of hands decided to table the report six months earlier.
Usually as mandated by the constitution and the Audit Act of Bhutan 2018, the Auditor General submits the Annual Audit Report to the Parliament during the fourth quarter of the financial year which falls between April to June. The parliament then tables the report in the winter session.
But this time, the Royal Audit Authority released the Audit Report 2020-2021 last month for submission to His Majesty The King, the Prime Minister and the Parliament.
Some parliamentarians said tabling the report early is a violation of the Audit Act and sets a bad precedence.
“Law is law. Once His Majesty The King signs the bill through parliament, whether it’s an individual or an organization, they have to follow the law. They can’t bend the law as per their need. It is not like we don’t have any other options. If we make new rules as and when we want, I worry that it will affect the parliament in future,” said Gasa’s MP, Dorji Khandu.
Opposing the view, many appreciated the Royal Audit Authority’s effort in compiling the report early.
“Nobody here is against tabling the Audit Report early. For now, we can look into the provision under the audit act where it gives the Auditor General the right to consider the significance and submit the report. And we can decide to discuss the report,” said NC’s Chairperson, Tashi Dorji.
“I request the MPs to support the discussion of the report in the next session. If we don’t, it might seem as if we are not appreciating RAA’s effort when they have tirelessly worked for the report and completed their work before time,” said the Prime Minister, Dr Lotay Tshering.
The Speaker of the National Assembly also announced that the discussion on the Performance Audit Report on Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited will be carried out in the next session.
Tshering Zam/Pema Seldon Tshering/Sangay Chezom
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
