The Bhutanese Leading the way.
According to the annual judiciary report, amongst the twenty Dzongkhag Courts, Thimphu with five benches has the highest number of cases registered with 1,696 and also with highest numbers of cases decided with 1,491 cases, followed by Wangdue Phodrang with 502 cases. Gasa Dzongkhag court has the lowest with 33 cases registered and also with the same numbers of cases decided.
Nationwide, among the category of cases heard by the court, monetary related cases topped the list with 3,007 cases, followed by 1,420 matrimonial cases, 273 assault, battery and other related cases, 189 drugs related cases, 51 offences related to protected species cases and 49 traffic related cases dominated the list among lot of others.
The monetary cases appear to be higher because it covers the cases related to all the financial institutions, private money lending cases, and all the financial related issues while the matrimonial cases are mostly decided through the merits of the cases.
The Supreme Court judge Rinzin Penjor from his personal perspective, attributed it to the changing times where most of the women are given equal opportunity and are independent enough to walk away from domestic violence and harassment. And he also added that our laws are also not very stringent against illicit relationship unlike in some of the countries where the laws demand imprisonment up to 7 years and above.
Supreme Court judge Tashi Choezom, from her personal view said the increasing number of matrimonial cases, are also attributed the rise of a liberal society.
Swiss agency for Development Corporation (SDC) after having supported the judiciary of Bhutan for last eight years has finally phased out last year but the government of Austria extended its support till 2018. The grant includes additional funds for construction of Trashiyangtze Dzongkhag Court and connecting all the other courts with internet facilities. The government of Austria released Nu 93 million for the judiciary and Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law.
