National Assembly (Bhutan)

Lower house of the Parliament of Bhutan

27°29′23.2″N 89°38′17.5″E﻿ / ﻿27.489778°N 89.638194°E﻿ / 27.489778; 89.638194

National Assembly

རྒྱལ་ཡོངས་ཚོགས་འདུ་
Gyelyong Tshogdu

4th Legislature
Type
Type|

Lower house

of the Parliament of Bhutan

Leadership

Speaker

Lungten Dorji, PDP
since 25 January 2024

Deputy Speaker

Sangay Khandu, PDP
since 25 January 2024

Leader of the House

Tshering Tobgay
Prime Minister of Bhutan, PDP
since 28 January 2024

Leader of the Opposition

Pema Chewang, BTP
since 3 February 2024

Structure
Seats| 47

Political groups

| Government (30)

*   PDP (30)

Opposition (17)

*   BTP (17)

Length of term

| 5 years
Elections

Voting system

| Modified two-round system

First election

| 24 March 2008

Last election

| 30 November 2023 and 9 January 2024
Meeting place
Gyelyong Tshokhang, Thimphu (Here shown, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India addressing a joint session of the Parliament in 2008.)
Website
http://www.nab.gov.bt/
Constitution
Constitution of Bhutan

Politics of Bhutan

Constitution

* Law
* Human rights
* LGBT rights

Monarchy

* King (list)

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

* Heir Apparent

Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck

* Wangchuck dynasty

State religion

* Dratshang Lhentshog
(state religious commission)

Chairman: The Je Khenpo

Government

Executive

* Prime Minister

Lotay Tshering
* Lhengye Zhungtshog
(council of ministers)

* * *

Parliament

* National Council
* National Assembly

* * *

Judiciary

* Royal Court of Justice
* Supreme Court
* High Court
* Dzongkhag Courts
* Dungkhag Courts

Elections

* Recent elections

* Assembly: 2018
* 2023–24

* Council: 2018
* 2023

* Local: 2011

* Political parties

Administrative divisions

* Districts of Bhutan
*     * Gewogs
* Dungkhags

*     * Thromdes
* Chiwogs

* Villages

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister: Tandi Dorji

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Bhutan

* * *

* Nationality law
* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

The National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Bhutan, and it's responsible for enacting laws, representing the people, and overseeing the government. It consists of 47 members elected from 47 constituencies across the road country.

Under the 2008 Constitution, Article 12, section 1, the National Assembly consists of a maximum of 55 members directly elected by the citizens of constituencies within each Dzongkhag (District).[1] Under this single-winner voting system, each constituency is represented by a single National Assembly member; each of the 20 Dzongkhags must be represented by between 2–7 members. Constituencies are reapportioned every 10 years (Art. 12, § 2).[1] The National Assembly meets at least twice a year (Art. 12, § 5), and elects a Speaker and Deputy Speaker from among its members (Art. 12, § 3). Members and candidates are allowed to hold political party affiliation.

The 2013 National Assembly election resulted in large increase in percentage of PDP members, who held 32 seats to the DPT's 15 when the new assembly was convened.[2]

In the 2018 National Assembly election, PDP did not qualify for the elections. DNT saw a rise of 30 seats, thus becoming the majority party in the Assembly. DPT, which won 17 seats, became the opposition.

In the 2023–24 Bhutanese National Assembly election, both incumbent parliamentary parties failed to win seats. PDP returned as the majority party, while the new BTP became the opposition.

## History

[edit]

The National Assembly was originally decreed in 1953 by King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. The National Assembly began as a unicameral parliament within the King's framework for democratization. In 1971, King Jigme Dorji empowered the National Assembly to remove him or any of his successors with a two-thirds majority. The procedure for abdication remains a part of Bhutan's Constitution of 2008, with the addition of a three-fourths majority in a joint sitting of Parliament (i.e., including the National Council) to confirm the involuntary abdication as well as a national referendum to finalize it.[1] (Art. 2)

## Electoral system

[edit]

The 47 members of the National Assembly are elected from single-member constituencies. Primary elections are held in which voters cast votes for parties. The top two parties are then able to field candidates in the main round of voting, in which members are elected using first-past-the-post voting.[3]

## Speakers

[edit]

Complete list of speakers of the National Assembly.[4]

Name  | Entered Office  | Left Office

|
|

Dasho Kesang Dawa  | 1953  | 1955
Dasho Thinley Dorji  | 1956  | 1963
Dasho Tamji Jagar  | 1964  | 1965
Nidup Yanglop  | 1966  | 1968
Dasho Kesang Dawa  | 1969  | 1971
Dasho Shingkhar Lam | 1971  | 1974
Nidup Yanglop  | 1974  | 1977
Dasho Tamji Jagar  | 1977  | 1988
Lyonpo Sangye Penjor  | 1988  | 1989
Dasho Passang Dorji  | 1989  | 1997
Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji | 1997  | 2000
Dasho Ugyen Dorji  | 2000  | 2007
Lyonpo Jigme Tshultim  | 2008  | 2013
Lyonpo Jigme Zangpo | 2013  | 2018
Lyonpo Wangchuk Namgyel | 2018  | 2024
Lungten Dorji | 2024  | Incumbent

## Constituencies

[edit]

Main article: List of constituencies of the Bhutan National Assembly

A map of Bhutan showing its 20 dzongkhags. Currently, each dzongkhag has between two and five National Assembly constituencies.

The National Assembly, the lower of the Parliament of Bhutan, consists Members of Parliament (MPs). Each MP represents a single geographic constituency.[5] Currently, there are 47 National Assembly constituencies.[6][7] Out of the 20 dzongkhags of Bhutan, Trashigang, with five constituencies, has the highest number of National Assembly constituencies. Samtse, with four constituencies, has the second highest number of National Assembly constituencies. Mongar and Pema Gatshel, with three constituencies each, share the third-highest position. All of the other 16 dzongkhags have two constituencies each.

## See also

[edit]

* Politics of Bhutan
* List of political parties in Bhutan
* Elections in Bhutan
* 2008 Bhutanese National Assembly election
* 2013 Bhutanese National Assembly election
* 2018 Bhutanese National Assembly election
* Parliament of Bhutan
* National Council of Bhutan
* Bhutanese legislation
* Constitution of Bhutan
* List of constituencies of the Bhutan National Assembly

## Notes

[edit]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan (English)" (PDF). Government of Bhutan. 2008-07-18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
2. ^ "Bhutan's Election Commission completes polls process, hands over MP list to King". DNA India. 2013-07-14. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
3. ^ Electoral system IPU
4. ^ Past Speakers National Assembly of Bhutan.
5. ^ "Election Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2008" (PDF). Government of Bhutan. 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
6. ^ "Final Delimitation Order For The National Assembly Constituencies Of The Kingdom Of Bhutan, 2017" (PDF). Election Commission of Bhutan. 2017-12-26. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-06-15.
7. ^ "Constituency List". National Assembly of Bhutan. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2019-05-31.

## External links

[edit]

* "Official website of the National Assembly of Bhutan". Retrieved 2008-04-16.

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