…along with three commissioners of ACC and ECB  

Younten Tshedup

On completing their five-year term, two more constitutional posts holders and three commissioners demitted their office on Friday, July 31.

The holders of the constitutional offices are the Chairperson of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Kinley Yangzom and Royal Audit Authority’s (RAA) Auditor General Tshering Kezang.

Commissioners Jamtsho of ACC and Election Commission of Bhutan’s (ECB) Deki Pema and Ugyen Chewang also completed their tenure last week.

Chief Election Commissioner, Chogyal Dago Rigdzin who would have also completed his five-year tenure on July 31 was recently appointed as the new Chief Justice on June 11.

The constitutional post holders in the country comprise of the Chief Justice and the Drangpons of the Supreme and the High Courts, Chief Election Commissioner, Auditor General, Chairperson of the Royal Civil Service Commission and the ACC Chairperson.

Expect for the Drangpons of the Supreme and High Courts, as per the Constitution, the term of these constitutional posts holders shall be five years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

The Constitution allows the appointment of these post holders based on the joint nomination submitted to the Druk Gyalpo by the Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker, Chairperson of the National Council and the Opposition Leader.

Chairperson Kinley Yangzom and commissioner Jamtsho formed the second commission of the ACC in July 2015.

Kinley Yangzom started her civil service career with the education ministry and has over 21 years of experience as a human resource professional. Prior to her appointment as the chairperson of the Commission, she served as the commissioner of the Royal Civil Service Commission for five years.

During her tenure in the ACC, His Majesty The King appointed her as the advisor of the second interim government, where she was the advisor to the health ministry and six other allied health agencies.

Commissioner Jamtsho joined the civil service in 1993 as a trainee officer in the Royal Audit Authority (RAA). He served 22 years in the RAA in various capacities and was the joint auditor general before being appointed as the commissioner of the ACC.

He is a qualified chartered management accountant and a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants of the United Kingdom.

In a farewell message posted by the Commission, it was stated that during their tenure, the Commission made greater effort in professionalising internal operations and strengthening systems and processes to ensure that the ACC remains astute, credible and conversant with the changing times.

The HR issues faced by the Commission were also substantially reduced with numerous initiatives to brand the ACC as an ‘Employer of Choice’ and a ‘Learning Organisation’, the message shared on ACC’s Facebook page read.

Bidding farewell to the second Auditor General, the RAA in a handing-taking ceremony passed over the charges of the Authority to the acting Auditor General, Ugyen Dorji on July 31.

Tshering Kezang started his career as a trainee officer in 1989. In his 31 years of service, he served in various capacities from assistant finance officer to the assistant Auditor General before assuming the post of Lhuentse Dzongdag in 2007 and later as Pemagatshel Dzongdag until 2015.

He is also a recipient of the Druk Yuegyal medal, the highest military honour of the militia awarded by His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo.

His Majesty The King reappointed Deki Pema as the ECB’s commissioner in 2015. Along with the reappointment, the former chief executive officer of the National Housing Development Corporation, Ugyen Chewang, was appointed as the other commissioner for the Election Commission.

The ECB under the second commission was awarded the Druk Thuksey during the National Day in 2018 by His Majesty in recognition of its services to the nation and people, through their efforts to inform and educate the people, and in carrying out successful elections, which have helped strengthen democracy in Bhutan.

Meanwhile, Article 31 (4) of the Constitution states that the holders of the constitutional offices shall not be eligible for re-appointment.