July 3: The National Assembly began discussions on the Civil Service Bill today. The bill will help strengthen the civil service and create conditions conducive for promotion of good governance.

It will allow the Royal Civil Service Commission to act as an independent apolitical and central agency to discharge public duties in an efficient, transparent and accountable manner.

The bill outlines the values, conduct, duties and rights of civil servants.

The discussions saw heated debate on whether employees working in constitutional bodies would be considered as civil servants.

The bill says all the three branches of the government shall function as civil servants. But according to various acts, the constitutional bodies have the powers to decide their organizational structure, budget, and manpower needs.

The discussion of the Civil Service Bill of Bhutan 2009 will continue on Monday.