Staff reporter

Mongar dzongkhag court Drangpon Sonam Gyeltshen is the Supreme Court’s new Registrar General (RG).

The appointment of new RG order was issued yesterday as per the section 76 of the Judicial Service Act by the office of the Officiating Chief Justice of Bhutan (OCJB). Drangpon Sonam Gyeltshen will serve as RG on deputation for a period of three years.

OCJB Kuenley Tshering said the new RG of the Supreme Court was to be appointed during the annual judicial conference in March. “However, due to the worldwide pandemic, the judiciary deferred the conference and felt it appropriate to change the RG at the beginning of June which heralds the end of the financial year 2020, so that the new RG can start afresh with the new financial year,” he said.

The RG is the chief administrative officer heading the administration and finance of the judiciary.

In a statement posted on the judiciary website, it stated that   while the Judicial Service Act provides that the RG of the Supreme Court shall be appointed from amongst the chief drangpons of dzongkhag courts, in the current scenario, the judiciary has just one Chief Drangpon in Thimphu dzongkhag court, who has already served as the RG of the Supreme Court. “Given the circumstances, the decision to appoint the new RG from the pool of dzongkhag drangpons is a necessity and provides equitable opportunity for all other hardworking drangpons,” it stated.

The outgoing RG Tshering Dorji has served for two terms and a year in office. Drangpon Tshering Dorji’s next post is yet to be decided.