About Bhutan

Monarchy in Bhutan

King Ugyen Wangchuck (Monarch of Destiny) 1907 – 1926

 Born in 1862 at the Wangdue Choeling palace.
 His first involvement in military action came in 1877, when he accompanied his father to suppress the rebellion in Paro.
 He was made Paro Penlop in 1879.
 In 1885, after killing Trongsa Penlop Singye Namgyal to avenge the murder of his uncle, Ugyen Wangchuck declared himself as the Trongsa Penlop.
 On December 17, 1907 with the signing and sealing of the Oath of Allegiance in a grand ceremony in Punakha dzong, His Majesty King Ugyen Wangchuck was installed as the first Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.
 Treaty of Punakha, which was the new version of treaty of Sinchula, was signed in 1910 at Punakha between King Ugyen Wangchuck and the new British political officer in Sikkim, Sir Charles Bell.
 In 1911, His Majesty the King Ugyen Wangchuck made a visit to India.
 He introduced modern education as the first step towards development and started sending Bhutanese children to schools in Kalimpong.
 In 1914, he built first modern school at Haa and 46 Bhutanese students had been enrolled.
 In 1915, second school was opened in Bumthang for crown prince Jigme Wangchuck and some of his attendants.
 By 1921, twelve students who had studied in India returned to form a small core of educated professionals in the Bhutanese civil service.
 He also introduced first step towards improving internal communications and reduction of land taxes.
 He also made conscious efforts to encourage trade and commerce with India.
 He was presented with the insignia of the Knight Commander of the Indian Empire (K.C.I.E.) by the British and this gave him the title ‘Sir’.

King Jigme Wangchuck (The Consolidator) 1926 – 1952

 Born in 1905 at Wangdue Choeling Palace.
 In 1919, when he was only 14 years old, he was appointed as the Trongsa Droenyer, a Guest Master.
 In1923, he was installed as the Trongsa Penlop.
 On March 14, 1927, Prince Jigme Wangchuck was crowned the 2nd Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.
 The coronation was presided over by Zhabdrung with the Je Khenpo, Paro Penlop and all the district Dzongpons of Bhutan in attendance. The British Government was represented by an official delegation led by F. M. Bailey, the Political Officer in Sikkim.
 The new King of Bhutan was offered the Insignia of the Companion of the Indian Empire (C. I. E.) by the British Government.
 He began a series of reforms towards fulfilling his father’s last wishes – to create a just and fair society.
 The reforms mainly touched the areas of administration and taxation.
 He adopted the strategy of lowering taxes by curtailing government expenditure through streamlining the district administration.
 He led the country to its first step towards modernization by sponsoring a programme of education and training of the Bhutanese abroad.

King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (Father of Modern Bhutan)
1952– 1972

 Born on May 2, 1928, at Thruepang Palace near Trongsa Dzong.
 At the age 17, in 1945 he was awarded the red scarf and made Trongsa Droenyer, a Guest Master.
 And at the age 22 in 1950 he was appointed Paro Penlop.
 He married Ashi Kesang Choden in 1951.
 He ascended the throne in 1952.
 He instituted far-reaching political, social and economic reforms.
 Launched a systematic effort to abolish the practice of slavery and serfdom, which had prevailed since the 17th century.
 Instituted the National Assembly, the High Court, the Royal Advisory Council and a system of Government, which would be responsive to the social and economic requirements.
 He started the planned development process in 1961.
 He also guided Bhutan to membership in the United Nations in 1971, ensuring the Kingdom a place in the international community.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck (A Monarch of the People) 1972

 Born on November 11, 1955, at Dechencholing Palace.
 At the age of 17, in 1972 he was appointed the Trongsa Penlop.
 He succeeded to the Golden Throne on 5th day of the 10th month of the Bhutanese calender in 1972 at Punakha Dzong. However, he was only formally coroneted on June 2, 1974 in Trashi Chhoe Dzong in Thimphu
 He became the youngest monarch in the world at the age of 17.
 Since his coronation in 1974, he dedicated himself to defining and realizing a long-term vision and direction for the country.
 He set up a system of Government, which is responsive to the political, social and development needs of the country.
 The functions of the state were clearly defined and divided among the various organs of governance.
 Also pursued a process of democratization and involvement of people in their own affairs from the national to the community level.
 In 1981, he introduced a programme of administrative and political decentralization. This enhanced democratic powers, social responsibilities, transparent process and decision making at the grass root level.
 In 1998, he dissolved the Cabinet and the National Assembly elected the members of the Council of Ministers by a secret ballot. Full executive powers were devolved to the Council of Ministers.
 In July 1999, on the insistence of His Majesty, mechanism for a Vote of Confidence in the King was endorsed.
 In September 2001, he commanded the drafting of a constitution.

The Political System

Bhutan has been an independent kingdom for centuries and is ruled by a hereditary monarch since 1907. The present King, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuk, initiated many reforms of the political system, the most significant being that he relinquished his post as the Head of the Government during the 76th National Assembly in 1998. His Majesty is now the Head of the State.

Members of the National Assembly are composed of 150 elected members and meets once a year for a month. It is a legislative body and discusses all the issues concerning the country and also passes laws and acts.

Council of Ministers is elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years and holds executive power. It is composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Health and Education, Agriculture, Home and Cultural Affairs, Trade and Industries, and Communication. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers is the head of the Government, a post that rotates on annual basis among the Ministers. The minister who gets the highest number of votes will be the first Chairman of the Council of Ministers and the post rotates following the sequence of the votes.

The Royal Court of Justice presided by a Chief Justice and composed of judges together with the district courts, forms the judiciary body in the country. District courts operate at the district level while at the village level; the Headman acts as a first level of conciliation process.

The country is composed of 20 districts (Dzongkhags) each headed by a provincial governor called Dzongda.

Since the decentralization process, which started in 1981, a lot of importance and full authority, especially in the field of development and local activities, has been given to the district and rural areas namely the DYT (Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogchung) at the district level and GYT (Gewog Yargay Tshogchung) at the village/block level. During Bhutan’s 9th Five-year plan (2002-2007), all development plans and activities are to emanate from and be implemented at the village/block level.

The government has started steps to decentralize further by giving more initiatives to the village assemblies, presided by the elected Gup (village headman). In today’s political system, Gups and Chimi’s (people’s representatives) play a very vital role in the development at village level. They are the bridge between the people and the government. Dzongda used to be the chairman of the DYT but now the elected Gups and Chimi’s have taken over the post. They by all means are the voice of the people in and out of the National Assembly.

A Chief Operations Officer with the rank of Lt. General heads the security forces, comprising of the army, police and the Royal Bodyguards.

Government restructured in July, 2003

With two ministries bifurcated and one new ministry created, the government of Bhutan will function with 10 ministries, most of them incorporating some additional responsibilities.

The existing Ministry of Health and Education has been bifurcated into Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education. Then Ministry of Communications is also split as the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement and Ministry of Information and Communication. The new ministry is the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources.

The Lhengye Zhungtsho (Council of Ministers) described the changes as “an effort to further streamline, consolidate, and strengthen the functioning of the executive and to address the emerging needs and challenges”, following the devolution of full executive powers to an elected council of ministers.

Following the changes in the political structure, the 81st National Assembly elected four new ministers through secret ballot. His Majesty the King awarded the auspicious dhar (ceremonial scarves) to the ministers in the throne room of Trashi Chhoe Dzong on July 9, the auspicious birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche. Bhutan travel packages, Bhutan travel package