No fund for political parties (Politics)

Thimphu, July 02: The Bhutanese political parties will have to face further crunches of fund for their upcoming political activities, who already are in massive debt after the first national election campaign early this year.

After few rounds of discussion, the National Council or the Upper House of the parliament rejected the government proposal to allocate additional support to two political parties in the parliament.

The cabinet had earlier, without approval from the parliament, had decided to allocate some Nu 15 to 20 million annual fund for each People’s Democratic Party and Druk Phuensum Tshogpa, which was meant to repay their loans consumed during the polls campaign and pay the party workers.

The government had also decided to allocate certain fund to National Assembly members in the name of constituency development grant.

Legal provisions bar political parties from getting fund from the government or any other foreign donors, leading to virtual collapse of the newly formed parties. Political parties need to sustain with registration, membership fees and voluntary contributions. Government is allowed to provide financial support to parties only during the polls. Bhutan News Service