National Council adopts Entitlement and Service Conditions (Amendment) Bill for the Holders, Members and Commissioners of Constitutional Offices

Dec 8, 2020

A new appointee to a vacant Constitutional post will get to serve for the full term or until the age of 65 years. This is as per a new section amended in the Entitlement and Service Conditions (Amendment) Bill for the Holders, Members and Commissioners of Constitutional Offices of Bhutan 2020 which the National Council adopted today.

The National Assembly amended the Bill and proposed the new section last week.

“The National Assembly amended that when the post of a holder, member and commissioner of a constitutional office becomes vacant for any reason other than the expiration of term, the new appointee shall serve for the full term or until attaining the age of 65-years, whichever is earlier,” said Sangay Dorji, the chairperson of the Good Governance Committee.

Of the 22 members present in the House today, 21 voted for the adoption while the Member of Parliament (MP) from Gasa voted against it.

“This new section is not flexible if His Majesty The King wants to appoint the new appointee to some other post,” said Dorji Khandu, the National Council MP from Gasa.

The House also adopted the National Assembly’s recommendation to remove and include the seven new sections related to appointment, tenure and sessions and procedure of nomination panel in the Rules of Procedure for submission of a list of names to His Majesty The Druk Gyalpo for Appointments to the Constitutional offices.

The Bill will now be sent for Royal Assent.

Tshering Zam/Phub Gyem