With two disputed clauses in the National Digital Identity Bill, the speaker of the National Assembly submitted it to His Majesty the King for Royal Assent to convene a Joint Sitting of the Parliament. The National Assembly today discussed the recommendations put forth by the National Council on the Bill. The majority of the members present in the House were not in favour of the NC’s recommendations to include two new sections in the Bill.
The National Council recommended that the National Digital Identity Company shall be a public limited company with all the shares owned by Druk Holding and Investments. It was recommended as a new section.
“When we discussed last time, the objective of Digital Identity was discussed as public service providers or a digital bank. With the continuation of the discussion, in the end, it seems like it is an online business or e-commerce. Therefore, I cannot support it. This is because it is to get access to the national data and not for commercial purposes,” said Kinga Penjor, Gangzur-Minjey MP.
“The difference between our National Digital Identity is decentralised. Whereas, if it is for business in other countries their digital identities are centralised data. We understood that the service will be provided by GovTech. In the end, I did not understand how it came up for discussion to establish a company under DHI and use it,” said Dorji Wangdi, Opposition Leader.
“The government needs to clarify whether the National Digital Identity Company is a service provider to the citizens or a profit-making institute of the government. If it is a profit-making institute, I am doubtful how it will provide services to the people. If its mandate is to make profits, the regulations, working procedure, and understanding will become different,” said Passang Dorji (PhD), Bartsham-Shongphu MP.
“When we provide the service to our citizens it will be free of cost. Whether it is to sell it to outside countries or if they want to use our NDI data. If the person wants to provide services in our country, in order to know that person. So, it is to collect fees from them while using NDI technology. However, it is not to sell data at all. This will benefit our country a lot,” said Karma Dorji, Industry, Commerce and Employment Minister.
Similarly, the National Council recommended that the offences and penalties prescribed in Chapter 12 of the Bill shall be in accordance with the Penal Code of Bhutan as a new section.
However, this will be also re-deliberated during the joint sitting.
The National Assembly adopted six new definitions and minor changes recommended by the National Council.
Since the National Digital Identity Bill of Bhutan 2023 is an urgent Bill, Bill will be endorsed and adopted during the current Parliament session.
Devika Pradhan & Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sherub Dorji
