The fourth Pay Commission in its report had proposed to table the recommendations to the parliament as a report and not as a money bill. If presented as a Money Bill, the National Council (NC) will have no authority. It can only provide recommendations to which the National Assembly may approve or reject.
The NC is yet to receive the Pay Commission’s report officially for its deliberation in the upcoming 23rd NC session, which begins from this Thursday. At a press conference today, the National Council’s Deputy Chairperson shared if the recommendations are tabled as a report, the NC will have the opportunity to deliberate and pass recommendations. He said it has not been decided whether the recommendations will be tabled as a money bill or a report.
“Regarding the Pay Commission’s report, we have received many questions but the NC hasn’t received the report officially. We will have deliberations but it totally depends on how it is going to be tabled. Is it going to be tabled as a report or as a money bill, it hasn’t been decided yet. If it is passed as a report, then we will have the opportunity to deliberate. But if tabled as a money bill, even if we deliberate and pass recommendations, the ultimate authority to implement depends on the National Assembly,” Jigme Wangchuk, Deputy Chairperson, NC, said.
The session will begin with the deliberations on the follow-up resolutions of the last session. The National Council will deliberate on issues related to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and present review reports on harmful use of alcohol and fronting. The House will introduce two legislative bills on Impeachment Procedure Bill and Minister and Minister Equivalent Post holder’s entitlement bill. At the moment, Bhutan does not have such bills in place.
The House will also deliberate on the Annual Anti-corruption report 2018 and Budget and Appropriation Bill 2019-20. And in the joint sitting of the parliament, the members will deliberate on the performance audit report by the public accounts committee. During the joint sitting, the Prime Minister will present the report on the Annual State of the Nation including legislative plans, annual plans and priorities of the government.
