Interim Government

On 1st August 2018, the National Assembly will formally end its term with a Tashi Moenlam and prayers, and it will witness the NA MPs symbolically handing over their blue Kabneys and Patangs.

The government’s official term also ends on the same day, but unlike the MPs, the Cabinet is not done yet as it has to continue until an Interim Government is formed through a Kasho from His Majesty The King with 15 days of dissolution of the NA.

In 2013 the then cabinet continued for up to a week beyond the dissolution of the then NA.

As per the Constitution, His Majesty The King will appoint the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as the Chief Advisor and also appoint other advisors.

The interim government, formed after the end of the elected government’s term, will function on the same principles as the government, but with the limited powers as prescribed by the Constitution.

It will receive timely and regular briefings from the ministries, the constitutional bodies, the commissions, the autonomous bodies, and other agencies, so as to keep the interim government abreast of evolving situations, emerging trends in the country, and of external events that could have a bearing on the State.

This is the second time that an interim government will be set up following the enactment of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

The interim government will ensure the continuance of all the routine government functions in a seamless manner until the next elected government takes up office after the elections.

The cabinet secretariat will support and function as the interim government’s secretariat, as in the case of the regular cabinet. The ministries, the constitutional bodies, the commissions, the autonomous bodies, and other agencies will ensure that normal government functions are carried out so that existing activities of the government continue, especially those in the pipeline like, the completion of the 11th Five-Year Plan, formulation of the 12th Five-Year Plan, and discussions on projects and mobilization of aid or financing with foreign entities.

The interim government will allocate ministries to the advisors to facilitate the broad oversight of the functioning of the government, and efficient interaction and interface between the interim government and the ministries, but without undue interference in the day-to-day routine functioning of the ministries.

The ministries will study and make recommendations for the future on critical issues of long-term national concerns such as, the fiscal and monetary situation and trends, education, employment, immigration, and good governance.

The Interim Government will dissolve on the day a new Prime Minister comes into office.

Democracy is not just an election; it is our daily life.
Tsai Ing-wen