Bhutanese legislation is created by the bicameral Parliament of Bhutan. Either the Monarch Druk Gyalpo or the non-partisan house National Council or the seat of the Government National Assembly may admit bills into Parliament to be passed as acts, with the exception of money and financial bills, which are the sole purview of the National Assembly. When a bill has been introduced and passed by one house, it must present the bill to the other house within thirty days from the date of passing, and the bill may be passed during the next session of Parliament. In the case of budget bills and urgent matters, a bill must be passed in the same session of Parliament.
Once bills have passed Parliament, they are submitted to the King for royal assent within fifteen days.
If the other house neither passes nor returns the bill by the end of the next session, the bill is deemed to have passed, and the house in which the bill originated shall present the bill within fifteen days to the King for assent.
If the King does not grant assent to the bill, he returns the bill with amendments or objections for Parliament to deliberate and vote on the bill in a joint sitting. After Parliament deliberates and passes the bill in a joint sitting, Parliament resubmits the bill to the Druk Gyalpo who must then grant assent to the bill.
Acts passed predating the enactment of the Constitution in 2008 were passed under different procedures, some originating as promulgations by the King as indicated in their preamble. Below is a list of acts of the Kingdom of Bhutan.
List of acts of the Kingdom of Bhutan
OrderThe official order is reversed; this ordering allows additions without renumbering. Act Year English Dzongkha 88 Anti-Corruption Act, 2011 2011 87 Royal Monetary Authority Act 2010 English and Dzongkha 86 Tobacco Control Act 2010 English and Dzongkha 85 Entitlement & Service Conditions Act for the Holders, Members & Commissioners of Constitutional Offices 2010 English and Dzongkha 84 Bhutan Standards Act 2010 English and Dzongkha 83 Local Government Act 2009 English and Dzongkha 82 Cooperative (Amendment) Act 2009 English Dzongkha 81 Prison Act 2009 English and Dzongkha 80 Royal Bhutan Police Act 2009 English and Dzongkha 79 Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2008 English Dzongkha 78 Election Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2008 English Dzongkha 77 National Council Act 2008 English Dzongkha 76 National Assembly Act 2008 English Dzongkha 75 National Referendum Act 2008 (unavailable) Dzongkha 74 Public Election Fund Act 2008 English Dzongkha 73 Parliamentary Entitlements Act 2008 English Dzongkha 72 Land Act 2007 English Dzongkha 71 Civil Society Organizations Act 2007 English Dzongkha 70 Immigration Act 2007 English Dzongkha 69 Judicial Service Act 2007 English (unavailable) 68 Labour and Employment Act 2007 English and Dzongkha 67 Natural Environment Protection Act 2007 English Dzongkha 66 Public Finance Act 2007 English Dzongkha 65 Religious Organizations Act 2007 English Dzongkha 64 Local Governments ActThe Local Governments Act of 2007 was repealed by the Local Government Act of 2009. 2007 English and Dzongkha 63 Anti Corruption Act 2006 English Dzongkha 62 Audit Act 2006 English Dzongkha 61 Bhutan Information Communications & Media Act 2006 English Dzongkha 60 Office of the Attorney General Act 2006 English Dzongkha 59 Evidence Act 2005 English (unavailable) 58 Food Act 2005 English (unavailable) 57 Movable Cultural Property Act 2005 English Dzongkha 56 Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act 2005 English Dzongkha 55 Penal Code of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2004 English Dzongkha 54 Road Act 2004 English Dzongkha 53 Tenancy Act 2004 English Dzongkha 52 National Assembly Committees Act 2004 English (unavailable) 51 National Assembly Speakers Act 2004 English (unavailable) 50 Biodiversity Act 2003 English (unavailable) 49 Jabmi Act 2003 English (unavailable) 48 Medicines Act 2003 English Dzongkha 47 Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu ActThe Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu Act was repealed by the Local Governments Act of 2007, which was in turn repealed by the Local Government Act of 2009. 2002 English Dzongkha 46 Geog Yargay Tshogchhung ActThe Geog Yargay Tshogchhung Act was repealed by the Local Governments Act of 2007, which was in turn repealed by the Local Government Act of 2009. 2002 English Dzongkha 45 Medical and Health Council Act 2002 English Dzongkha 44 Civil and Criminal Procedure Code 2001 English Dzongkha 43 Commercial Sale of Goods Act 2001 English (unavailable) 42 Co-operative Act 2001 English Dzongkha 41 Copyright Act 2001 English (unavailable) 40 Electricity Act 2001 English (unavailable) 39 Income Tax Act 2001 English (unavailable) 38 Industrial Property Act 2001 English (unavailable) 37 Livestock Act 2001 English (unavailable) 36 Civil Aviation Act 2000 English Dzongkha 35 Companies Act 2000 English (unavailable) 34 Environmental Assessment Act 2000 English Dzongkha 33 Pesticides Act 2000 English Dzongkha 32 Sales Tax, Customs and Excise Act 2000 English (unavailable) 31 Seeds Act 2000 English Dzongkha 30 Bankruptcy Act 1999 English Dzongkha 29 Bhutan Municipal Act 1999 English Dzongkha 28 Bhutan Postal Corporation Act 1999 English Dzongkha 27 Legal Deposit Act 1999 English Dzongkha 26 Lhengye Zhungtsho Act 1999 English Dzongkha 25 Movable and Immovable Property Act 1999 English (unavailable) 24 Road Safety and Transport Act 1999 English (unavailable) 23 Zhapto Lemi Chhathrim 1996 English (unavailable) 22 Forest and Nature Conservation Act 1995 English (unavailable) 21 Mines and Mineral Management Act 1995 English Dzongkha 20 Census Handbook 1993 English (unavailable) 19 Plant Quarantine Act 1993 English (unavailable) 18 Financial Institutions Act 1992 English (unavailable) 17 National Security Act 1992 English Dzongkha 16 Extradition Act 1991 English (unavailable) 15 Fire Arms and Ammunition Act 1990 English Dzongkha 14 Bhutan Citizen Act 1985 English (unavailable) 13 Prison ActThe Prison Act of 1982 was repealed by the Prison Act of 2009. 1982 English Dzongkha 12 Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan Act 1982 English (unavailable) 11 Loan Act 1981 (unavailable) Dzongkha 10 Inheritance Act 1980 English Dzongkha 9 Livestock Act 1980 (unavailable) Dzongkha 8 Marriage Act 1980 English (unavailable) 7 Royal Bhutan Police ActThe Royal Bhutan Police Act of 1980 was repealed in its entirety by the Royal Bhutan Police Act of 2009. 1980 (unavailable) Dzongkha 6 Land Act 1979 (unavailable) Dzongkha 5 Bhutan Citizen Act 1977 English (unavailable) 4 National Flag Rules 1972 English (unavailable) 3 Kadyon 1969 (unavailable) Dzongkha 2 Nationality Law 1958 English (unavailable) 1 Thrimzhung ChhenmoThe Thrimzhung Chhenmo established the National Assembly and the Royal Advisory Council, which was replaced by the National Council in 2008. 1953 (unavailable) Dzongkha
See also Parliament of Bhutan National Council of Bhutan National Assembly of Bhutan Law of Bhutan Constitution of Bhutan
Notes
References
External links , a list of Bhutanese legislation on an alternate server