The Election Commission of Bhutan is pleased to inform the general public that a review on the status of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) as a registered Political Entity was conducted as has been stated in the ECB Press Release No. ECB/CEC-PR/2013/4215 dated 17th of June 2013, when seven Candidates of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) joined People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as Candidates for the 2013 General Election and questions raised in the public domain as to the existence of DNT as a separate Political Entity.
The Commission is pleased to report the general public that the status of the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) is active as a registered Political Party under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan.
In this connection, the status of Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party (BKP) and Druk Chirwang Tshogpa (DCT) were also studied, while Financial and Membership Status of both the Ruling (PDP) and Opposition (DPT) Parties were reviewed to gain an overall comparative perspective.
Accordingly, based on the review of records, the registered Parties are hereby required to take the following course of action:
1. DNT shall:
i) Decide on the appointment of a Party President as required under the Political Party Rules of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2012.
ii) Take the necessary action on the Missing Money Receipts as per the standard legal procedures conforming to all acceptable norms.
iii) Update the membership list as per the Electoral Laws and intimate to the Election Commission by end of July 2014.
2. All Registered Parties shall furnish information to the ECB of the 20 Dzongkhag Party Offices with the location and addresses at which the public can make contact by end of July 2014.
3. All Parties shall communicate to the ECB any changes in the head office relating to their office bearers, addresses or any changes that are of significance and that need to be informed.
4. The Parties shall accord equivalent monetary values for any voluntary time put in for Party works and account for the housing of the Dzongkhag Party Offices in private residences as per the current market value. It shall fomalise these in the form of Office Orders and accordingly account in the Parties’ Books of Accounts as Voluntary Contributions of such registered members under acceptable norms.
5. The Parties shall resolve any pending audit issues within the period allowed and as per the requirements of the Royal Audit Authority and intimate the Action Taken Report to the ECB.
6. Activities of the Political Parties covered in their respective annual work-plans and strategies must conform to the framework of Party Charters, the Political Party Rules of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2012 and the Code of Conduct prescribed under Section 290 -306 of the Election Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2008.
The Report of the Election Commission is made available for public inspection at the ECB headquarters and ECB’s website www.election-bhutan.org.bt/2014/StatusreportDNT.
This is issued as per the decision of the Election Commission of Bhutan taken in its Meeting held on 12th of May 2014.
By order,
Chief Election Commissioner of Bhutan
