Bhutan

National Council

Political system
Monarchy
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
Yes

Law-making

Data on parliament’s law-making role and activities

Legislative activity

Number of laws adopted by parliament, per year
9
(2023)
Total number of laws adopted by Parliament in the previous legislature
39
(2024-01)
Number of laws adopted in the previous legislature that were initiated by parliament
0
(2024-01)
Number of laws adopted in the previous legislature that were initiated by the government
39
(2024-01)
Percentage of laws initiated by parliament in the previous legislature
0%
(2024-01)
Dates of the previous legislature
31 Oct 2018 to 30 Oct 2023
(2024-01)
Outcome when the two chambers cannot agree on a piece of draft legislation
Other

Notes: A Joint Sitting of the Parliament is conducted. Either House can initiate legislative bills except for money or financial bills which need to be initiated by the National Assembly. When the Houses disagree, the bill will be vote in a joint sitting. Where the other House (which did not initiate the Bill) neither passes nor returns the Bill by the end of the next session, the Bill shall be deemed to have been passed by that House that initiated the bill and the latter and shall present it within fifteen days to the Druk Gyalpo (King) for Assent.

Sources: Constitution, art. 13

Executive-legislative relations

Legislation adopted by parliament requires the assent of the Head of State
Yes

Sources: Constitution, art 13, section 1

Number of times the Head of State declined to give assent to legislation, per year
0
(2023)
Consequences when the Head of State declines to give assent to legislation
The legislation is returned to Parliament for re-examination
Final decision when parliament and the Head of State do not agree
Not applicable

Existence of a procedure to introduce emergency legislation

There is a procedure for introducing emergency legislation into parliament
Yes
Number of times the procedure for emergency legislation was used, per year
1

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No