CJ says salary increase unconstitutional (Economy)
Thimphu, January 22: It is not just the National Council members but the Chief Justice Sonam Tobgay as well to term the decision of the government to raise the salary of the government employees as unconstitutional.
However, his displeasure comes after government failed to incorporate the recommendations he made regarding the pay hike.
The government while announcing the pay hike had proposed that salary for constitutional position holders would be according to the position they occupied prior to that job.
Chief Justice of Bhutan, the drangpons of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice and drangpons of the High Court, chefs and members of the Election Commission of Bhutan, Anti Corruption Commission, Attorney General, Auditor General are designated as holders of constitutional offices under Article 31 section 2 of the Constitution. They have been put under EX1 to EX3 category in bureaucracy.
Bhutan does not have a separate law to define the holders of constitutional offices.
“It is my pleasure to request the government to uphold the Constitution and bestow the constitutional respect to the constitutional office holders as the kingdom is unfolding under the unique system of parliamentary democracy,” Tobgye mentioned in his letter to prime minister.
However, the National Assembly members opined that until the Office of the Attorney General drafts the new law, the constitutional post holders be paid as per government decision. Bhutan News Service