Inviting questions

February 12, 2013Posted inLegislature8 Comments
The 10th and final session of the 1st Parliament got underway last Friday. During this session, the National Assembly will discuss just two bills: Contract Bill of Bhutan, and Alternate Dispute Resolution Bill. In addition, the National Assembly will consider the National Council's comments on Road Bill and Domestic Violence Prevention Bill which were adopted by the Assembly in the 9th session. The Disaster Management Bill will be discussed in a joint sitting to iron out differences between the two houses. Question Hour, when MPs get to question the government, are held on Tuesdays and Fridays. I've prepared some questions, but…

Inviting issues

December 31, 2011Posted inLegislature52 Comments
The eighth session of the Parliament will start on 4th January. Here are the bills the National Assembly will discuss: Tobacco Control ( Amendment) Bill 2011 Druk Gyalpo’s Relief Fund Bill 2011 Disaster Management Bill of Bhutan 2011 Education City Bill of Bhutan 2011 And here are the bills that the National Assembly and the National Council will discuss in a joint sitting to resolve differences between the two Houses. Child Adoption Bill of Bhutan 2011 Sales Tax, Customs and Excise (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2011 Public Finance (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2011 Election (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2011…

Totally redundant

December 7, 2010Posted inLegislature
Yesterday, the National Assembly passed the Sales Tax, Customs and Excise (Amendment) Bill, and the Public Finance (Amendment) Bill. The two of us in the opposition party had argued that the bills would violate the Constitution, and, in the end, only the two of us voted against the bills. The two amendments could allow the government to impose and raise taxes without having to seek the Parliament’s approval. The bills will now be forwarded to the National Council, who will discuss them in the next session. If they pass the bills, the amendments will come into effect. If not,…

Parliament’s fifth session

May 6, 2010Posted inLegislature
The National Assembly has announced that the fifth session of the Parliament will begin on 28th May. That’s in about three weeks. But, I still don’t know what will be discussed. And I still haven’t received the bills, if any, that will be introduced in the fifth session. So I’m at a loss about how to prepare for the Parliament’s imminent session. It appears that the government has recently submitted four bills to the National Assembly. They are the Childcare and Protection Bill; the Child Adoption Bill; Water Bill; and the Financial Services Bill. The first three are on…