Staff reporter

As part of preparation for the upcoming session, the joint parliamentary committees on the Civil and Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2019 (CCPC) and the Bhutan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2019 (PCB) met in the National Assembly conference hall yesterday.

The two Bills are disputed and will be deliberated and passed in a joint sitting. The joint committees will work on the differences between the two Houses.

The two Houses could not reach a consensus on seven of 19 sections in the amendment of CCPC in the last session.

Some of the disputed clauses are Section 199 (Bail and Bond), section 201 (Amount of Bond) and section 199.8 A of the CCPC (Amendment) Act of Bhutan, 2011 which pertains to non-bailable offence.

The joint committee comprises seven members from the National Assembly and five members from the National Council.

The Joint Committee on CCPC unanimously elected MP Tshewang Lhamo from the Bongo-Chapcha constituency as the chairperson and NC Member Choining Dorji from Pemagatshel as the vice chairperson for the joint committee on CCPC.

The two Houses could not come to consensus on 27 out of 56 sections in the amendment of PCB in the last session.

Some of the disputed clauses are Section 213 (on unnatural sex), Section 182 of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act of Bhutan, 2011 (grading of statutory rape), Section 235 (Grading of Burglary) and new section with regard to fronting.

The joint committee comprises seven members from the National Assembly and five from the National Council.

The joint committee on PCB unanimously elected NC Member Ugyen Namgay from Haa as the chairperson and MP Ugyen Wangdi from Dramedtse-Ngatshang constituency as the vice chairperson.

The joint committees were formed to review and resolve the disputed clauses on a Bill between the two Houses and as per section 28 of the Legislative Rules of Procedure 2017.

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