Just a House of Review?

The latest in buzz from the recently-concluded parliament session is of course the Lyonchhen’s charitable act of refusing his revised salary. Team mates can definitely ‘follow the leader’ here.


The ‘noble’ gesture gets a spotlight especially because of circumstances under which debates and deliberations have been most engagingly conducted around the pay-hike (that was easily endorsed by the National Assembly (NA), profusely countered by the National Council (NC) but in any case, eventually and ultimately driven home to endorsement).


In all this, an element that has been over sighted and warrants a look-see is the upper house which seems to be gaining prominence more in terms of having become ‘the other house.’


As one of the units in the parliamentary organogram, debates and deliberations are most engagingly conducted during sessions in the Council following which, it puts up recommendations, amendments, challenges resolutions on common issues discussed in respective houses.


But it seems, that is all and everything for the NC.


Easily the very live example is the pay-hike discussions where the NC made recommendations to the NA on the pay hike.


The NC had asked NA to defer the raise until ‘the revenue generation and cost cutting measures identified by the government to finance the revision were implemented and realised.’ In other words, ‘to hold things until signs of a stable economy starts to take root.’


The NC is as a house of review has a mandated role to act on matters that concern nation and people’s interests. In the said case scenario above, it has honored that mandate, but only to be shown that its doing or not doing has no relevance.


Very fine elements in the parliamentary rule book gives the upper hand to one house while recommendations and points of rebuttal of the other takes a back seat, so much so that they do not even receive a discussion.


Prominent and chief in this regard is the ‘prerogative of the lower house over money Bills.’ This single factor most-often-than-not powers deliberations and voting to a pre-set advantage in the direction of the lower house or the NA.


Reflections from past and present experiences have time and again drawn questions as to whether the budget should remain a money Bill that need not consider the NC recommendations.


The NC’s say is equally vital in matters of ‘public interest’ such as taxes, national interests etc. and shouldn’t simply conclude with the upper house merely participating in ‘elaborate discussions.’

For an institution that is just started growing (democracy), maybe a look back in retrospection with the objective to perhaps ‘fine-tune’ few parts would most likely be an effort in the right direction.


Published as Business Bhutan Editorial on June 21, 2014