Bhutanese legislation

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Bhutanese legislation is created by the bicameral Parliament of Bhutan. Either the Monarch Druk Gyalpo or the non-partisan house National Council or the seat of the Government National Assembly may admit bills into Parliament to be passed as acts, with the exception of money and financial bills, which are the sole purview of the National Assembly. [1] [2] When a bill has been introduced and passed by one house, it must present the bill to the other house within thirty days from the date of passing, and the bill may be passed during the next session of Parliament. [1] In the case of budget bills and urgent matters, a bill must be passed in the same session of Parliament. [1]

Contents

Once bills have passed Parliament, they are submitted to the King for royal assent within fifteen days. [1]

If the other house neither passes nor returns the bill by the end of the next session, the bill is deemed to have passed, and the house in which the bill originated shall present the bill within fifteen days to the King for assent. [1]

If the King does not grant assent to the bill, he returns the bill with amendments or objections for Parliament to deliberate and vote on the bill in a joint sitting. After Parliament deliberates and passes the bill in a joint sitting, Parliament resubmits the bill to the Druk Gyalpo who must then grant assent to the bill. [1]

Acts passed predating the enactment of the Constitution in 2008 were passed under different procedures, some originating as promulgations by the King as indicated in their preamble. Below is a list of acts of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

List of acts of the Kingdom of Bhutan

Order [nb 1] Act [3] YearEnglish Dzongkha
88Anti-Corruption Act, 20112011
87 Royal Monetary Authority Act 2010 English and Dzongkha
86 Tobacco Control Act 2010 English and Dzongkha
85Entitlement & Service Conditions Act for the Holders, Members & Commissioners of Constitutional Offices2010 English and Dzongkha
84Bhutan Standards Act2010 English and Dzongkha
83 Local Government Act 2009 English and Dzongkha
82Cooperative (Amendment) Act2009 English Archived 2025-07-24 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
81 Prison Act 2009 English and Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
80 Royal Bhutan Police Act 2009 English and Dzongkha Archived 2025-04-26 at the Wayback Machine
79 Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2008 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha
78 Election Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2008 English Dzongkha Archived 2025-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
77 National Council Act 2008 English Archived 2025-02-26 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha Archived 2025-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
76 National Assembly Act 2008 English Archived 2025-02-26 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha Archived 2025-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
75 National Referendum Act 2008(unavailable) Dzongkha Archived 2025-07-02 at the Wayback Machine
74 Public Election Fund Act 2008 English Archived 2025-07-02 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha Archived 2025-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
73 Parliamentary Entitlements Act 2008 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
72 Land Act 2007 English Dzongkha
71 Civil Society Organizations Act 2007 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
70 Immigration Act 2007 English Archived 2025-06-13 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
69 Judicial Service Act 2007 English Archived 2025-04-26 at the Wayback Machine (unavailable)
68 Labour and Employment Act 2007 English and Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
67 Natural Environment Protection Act 2007 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
66 Public Finance Act 2007 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
65 Religious Organizations Act 2007 English Archived 2025-02-03 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
64 Local Governments Act [nb 2] 2007 English and Dzongkha
63 Anti Corruption Act 2006 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
62 Audit Act 2006 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
61Bhutan Information Communications & Media Act2006 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
60 Office of the Attorney General Act 2006 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
59 Evidence Act 2005 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
58 Food Act 2005 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
57Movable Cultural Property Act2005 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
56 Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act 2005 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
55 Penal Code of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2004 English Archived 2025-02-10 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
54Road Act2004 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
53 Tenancy Act 2004 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
52 National Assembly Committees Act 2004 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
51 National Assembly Speakers Act 2004 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
50Biodiversity Act2003 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
49 Jabmi Act 2003 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
48 Medicines Act 2003 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha
47 Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu Act [nb 3] 2002 English Archived 2025-02-19 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
46 Geog Yargay Tshogchhung Act [nb 4] 2002 English Archived 2025-03-11 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
45 Medical and Health Council Act 2002 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
44 Civil and Criminal Procedure Code 2001 English Archived 2025-07-15 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
43 Commercial Sale of Goods Act 2001 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
42 Co-operative Act 2001 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
41 Copyright Act 2001 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
40Electricity Act2001 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
39 Income Tax Act 2001 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
38Industrial Property Act2001 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
37Livestock Act2001 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
36Civil Aviation Act2000 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
35 Companies Act 2000 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
34Environmental Assessment Act2000 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
33Pesticides Act2000 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
32 Sales Tax, Customs and Excise Act 2000 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
31Seeds Act2000 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
30Bankruptcy Act1999 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
29 Bhutan Municipal Act 1999 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
28Bhutan Postal Corporation Act1999 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
27Legal Deposit Act1999 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
26 Lhengye Zhungtsho Act 1999 English Archived 2025-04-20 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha Archived 2025-04-20 at the Wayback Machine
25 Movable and Immovable Property Act 1999 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
24 Road Safety and Transport Act 1999 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
23Zhapto Lemi Chhathrim1996 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
22Forest and Nature Conservation Act1995 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
21Mines and Mineral Management Act1995 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
20Census Handbook1993 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
19Plant Quarantine Act1993 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
18Financial Institutions Act1992 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
17 National Security Act 1992 English Archived 2025-01-20 at the Wayback Machine Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
16 Extradition Act 1991 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
15Fire Arms and Ammunition Act1990 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
14 Bhutan Citizen Act 1985 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
13 Prison Act [nb 5] 1982 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
12 Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan Act 1982 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
11Loan Act1981(unavailable) Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
10Inheritance Act1980 English [ permanent dead link ] Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
9Livestock Act1980(unavailable) Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
8 Marriage Act 1980 English Archived 2025-01-20 at the Wayback Machine (unavailable)
7 Royal Bhutan Police Act [nb 6] 1980(unavailable) Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
6 Land Act 1979(unavailable) Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
5 Bhutan Citizen Act 1977 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
4 National Flag Rules 1972 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
3Kadyon1969(unavailable) Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]
2 Nationality Law 1958 English [ permanent dead link ](unavailable)
1Thrimzhung Chhenmo [nb 7] 1953(unavailable) Dzongkha [ permanent dead link ]

See also

Notes

  1. The official order is reversed; this ordering allows additions without renumbering.
  2. The Local Governments Act of 2007 was repealed by the Local Government Act of 2009.
  3. The Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu Act was repealed by the Local Governments Act of 2007, which was in turn repealed by the Local Government Act of 2009.
  4. The Geog Yargay Tshogchhung Act was repealed by the Local Governments Act of 2007, which was in turn repealed by the Local Government Act of 2009.
  5. The Prison Act of 1982 was repealed by the Prison Act of 2009.
  6. The Royal Bhutan Police Act of 1980 was repealed in its entirety by the Royal Bhutan Police Act of 2009.
  7. The Thrimzhung Chhenmo established the National Assembly and the Royal Advisory Council, which was replaced by the National Council in 2008.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan (English). Article 13 – Passing of Bills" (PDF). Government of Bhutan. 2008-07-18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  2. "Office of the Attorney General Act of Bhutan 2006" (PDF). Government of Bhutan. 2006-06-30. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-24. Retrieved 2011-01-23.
  3. "List of Acts of the Kingdom of Bhutan". National Council of Bhutan. Archived from the original on 2010-07-27. Retrieved 2011-01-01.