July 4: The National Assembly has decided to allow the government to give funds for the two political parties elected in the primary round to sustain itself. A separate clause on this will be added in the Public Election Fund Bill and the Election Bill.

The submission was brought in by the Health Minister. Lyonpo Zangley Dukpa suggested if a clause stating that the state will fund the two political parties that have been elected in the primary round for three years can be added either to the Election Bill or the Public Election Fund Bill.

He said to establish a strong democracy it is important to have a corruption free political party. He said at present the political parties have only three sources of funds according to the Election Bill. These are the membership and registration fees and voluntary contribution by members, to which he said the parties cannot get much voluntary contributions since majority of the population are farmers.

Lyonpo said the Constitution has enshrined provisions for the parties to establish offices in every Dzongkhag to collect the registration fees and in order to establish the offices, the party has to employ people and buy equipments.

The Speaker Tshogpoen Jigmi Tshultim said if the clause is included then it might go against the Constitution.

To this, the representative from Kabji-Talo constituency in Punakha Tshering Penjore said allowing the state to fund the parties is not against the Constitution. He said it is not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution that the government cannot fund the parties.

The opposition leader Tshering Tobgay also supported the submission that the government should be allowed to fund the political parties to sustain itself. He suggested if a way can be introduced whereby Bhutanese and foreigners interested in supporting democracy can contribute money to the Public Election Fund Bill from which the proceeds could be distributed amongst the political parties.

He informed the house that the two parties together submitted a letter to the government informing the government that the parties are faced with acute shortage of fund which is hampering the parties to carry out its mandate efficiently.

In response to this, the Cabinet has recently approved financial support of Nu. 15 to 20 million for the two existing parties to sustain them and pay off their loans.

Several members of the house supported the submission.

The house resolved that a new section will be incorporated to chapter 7 of the Public Election Fund Bill stating that the government will fund the two political parties elected in the primary round of elections. The same will be reflected in the Election Bill.