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News of Jan
2 2007
Bhutan's Tryst with Democracy Begins
By Syed Zarir Hussain
Samdrup
Jongkhar (Bhutan), Jan 2
Bhutan's tryst with democracy has begun with elected representatives
questioning royal commands even before the Himalayan kingdom
formally shifts from absolute monarchy to parliamentary democracy.
The ongoing session of the National Assembly or parliament saw
unprecedented ruckus by representatives over refusal by the chief
election commissioner to get their endorsement before the
controversial Election Bill becomes legislation.
Bhutan's national newspaper Kuensel and its national broadcaster
Bhutan Broadcasting Service reported rifts in their parliament over
the Election Bill in the two-week session, which ends later this
week.
"It was important for the assembly to discuss and endorse the
Election Bill before the general elections starts in 2008. There
should be a base for the new government in 2008," an unnamed
people's representative from the monastic town of Wangduephodrang
was quoted as saying in parliament by Kuensel.
Bhutan's Chief Election Commissioner Dasho Kunzang Wangdi, however,
refused to accept their demands.
"The Election Bills were distributed to the members for information
and awareness in preparation for the elections in 2008 and not for
discussion as per His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo's (former King
Jigme Singhye Wangchuck) command," Wangdi told parliament.
"Since the people of Bhutan have already endorsed the draft
constitution, the endorsement of the draft constitution or the
elections bills by the present assembly is not necessary."
The Election Bill that contains 23 chapters was drafted last year
after the former king in December 2005 announced general elections
in 2008 to formally mark the transformation of the largely Buddhist
nation of about 600,000 people to parliamentary democracy.
The former king abdicated the throne last month in favor of his
eldest son, 26-year-old Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, before
Bhutan adopted a constitution and elected a prime minister in 2008.
The major bone of contention in the Election Bill is about
provisions to debar a candidate from contesting the first general
elections without a university degree.
At least six to seven representatives voiced angry protests inside
parliament saying the provisions making it mandatory for candidates
to contest the 2008 elections with a university degree was unjust.
"The education criteria would take away rights of the people. There
will not be mass representation," said Zhamling Dorji, Bhutan's
deputy speaker.
Home Minister Lyonpo Jigmi Y. Thinley also rejected demands for
getting an approval from the present National Assembly for the
Election Bill to become law.
"Bhutan has not yet become a democracy and the present National
Assembly has no authority to endorse any bills that is related to
the parliament in 2008," the minister told parliament.
"Whatever power people have today had been decentralized by His
Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo. His Majesty the King has the sole
authority to approve or finalize any rule or laws."
The new Oxford-educated king calmed tempers by assuring the elected
representatives a discussion on the Election Bill separately.
"While it is very important to discuss issues, it must be done not
with a view to claim oneself as good and right and another as wrong
and bad," the king said.
Bhutan's election commission said some 400,000 voters would be
eligible to exercise their franchise in the 2008 elections to choose
the first democratically elected government.
The transition began five years ago when the former king handed over
the powers of daily government to a council of ministers and
empowered the national assembly to force a royal abdication if
three-quarters of its membership backed the motion.
IANS News of Jan
2 2007
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