This is atimeline of Bhutanese history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events inBhutan and its predecessor states.
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 627 | Tibetan rulerSongtsän Gampo (reigned 627–49) ordered the construction of manyBuddhist temples, including two in Bhutan:Jambay Lhakhang atBumthang in central Bhutan, andKyichu Lhakhang on the Kyi River in theParo Valley.[1] The construction of these temples marked the arrival ofBuddhism in Bhutan. (to 649) |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 747 | Buddhist saintPadmasambhava, known as "Guru Rimpoche", comes to Bhutan fromIndia at the invitation of Sindhu Raja of theKingdom of Bumthang, one of the numerous kingdoms predating modern Bhutan. Padmasambhava converts the king toBuddhism and then continues toTibet. When he returns to Bhutan at the invitation ofTrisong Detsen, he oversees the construction of new monasteries in the Paro Valley and sets up his headquarters inJakar. According to tradition, Padmasambhava thus founds theNyingma, or "Red Hat," sect ofVajrayana Buddhism. Padmasambhava plays a great historical and religious role as the national patron saint who revealed thetantras to Bhutan. He returned for a third visit during the reign of Murthi Tsenpo (764–817), son of Trisong Detsen.[1][2] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 807 | Alternate date for Padmasambhava's invitation to Bhutan by Sindhu Raja. Naguchhi's sons spread the realm into parts of modern Sikkim and Tibet.[3][4] | |
| 809 | Padmasambhava comes again to Bhutan.[3] Around the same time, independent monarchies develop.[5] | |
| 824 | Tibetan KingRalpacan (reigned 816–836), grandson ofTrisong Detsen, goes to war with an Indian people ruler in Bhutan, driving him out. Tibetan troops who remained in Bhutan were calledMilog, meaning "those that will not return." The region they settle is referred to asTshochhen Gyed. Its eight parts or divisions are Wang, Be, Med, Kawang, Chang, Thi, Thim, and Lar.[3][6] | |
| 836 | Tibetan KingRalpacan is murdered by agents of his brotherLangdarma.Tibetans seek refuge in Bhutan from ensuing political and religious upheaval during the reign of Langdarma (836–842). After Langdarma's assassination in 842, Tibetans continue to flee to western Bhutan, thus creating the homeland of the modernNgalop people. The centuries that follow, known in Tibet as theEra of Fragmentation, are characterized by their lack of political cohesion. During much of this period, the dominant Bhutanese polity was the Kingdom of Bumthang.[2][7] | |
| 900 | In the late 9th century, ethnic Tibetan forces expel Indian people princes from parts of modern Bhutan. Tibetans in this period and location develop the roots of Ngalong culture.[3][7][8] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | By the 11th century, Tibetan-Mongol forces occupy the whole of Tibet. More waves ofTibetans seek refuge in Bhutan from religious persecution. Charismatic lamas become thede facto leaders of regions in western Bhutan.[2][7] |
| Year | Date | Event | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1143 | Before the arrival of Phajo Druggom, the followers of Nyoe Gyalwa Lhanangpa, a disciple of Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon (1143–1217), the founder of the DrikungKagyud, known as Lhapa had great influence and controlled a large part of western Bhutan.[9] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1180 | Tibetan lamaTsangpa Gyare (1161–1211) foundsRalung Monastery for theDrukpa Lineage of theKagyu school, named after the thunder dragons (druk) he witnessed on his quest for an appropriate foundation site.[2] With the proliferation of the Drukpa, the druk become synonymous with Bhutan and later its centralnational symbol. |
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| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1360 | Gelug monks flee to Bhutan from Tibet.[5] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1475 | Pema Lingpa, a Bhutanese religious figure andtertön from Bumthang, discovered his firstterma from Lake Membar near Bumthang.[2] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1616 | Ngawang Namgyal, 1stZhabdrung Rinpoche, facing arrest and following visions in which it is said that the chief guardian deities of Bhutan offered him a home, leaves Tibet to establish a new base in western Bhutan, foundingChagri Monastery at the head of theThimphu Valley. | |
| 1627 | Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal buildsSimtokha Dzong at the entrance to Thimphu valley. From thisdzong, he exerts control over traffic between the powerful Paro Valley to the west andTrongsa Valley to the east. | |
| Circa 1627, during the first war withTibet,PortugueseJesuitsEstêvão Cacella andJoão Cabral were the first recorded Europeans to visit Bhutan on their way to Tibet. They met with Ngawang Namgyal, presented him with firearms,gunpowder and atelescope, and offered him their services in the war against Tibet, but the Zhabdrung declined the offer. After a stay of nearly eight months, Cacella wrote a long letter from Chagri Monastery reporting the travel. This is a rare remaining direct report of the Zhabdrung.[7][10][11] | ||
| 1629 | Attempted Tibetan invasion fails.[12] | |
| 1631 | Attempted Tibetan invasion fails.[12] | |
| 1634 | Ngawang Namgyal prevails in theBattle of Five Lamas over theTibetan Empire and Bhutanese forces allied against him. The Zhabdrung is thus the first to unite Bhutan into a single country. The Zhabdrung establishes theDrukpa Lineage as the state religion under thedual system of government, and codifies the system of laws known as theTsa Yig, based on Buddhist religious law (dharma).[10] | |
| 1639 | Attempted Tibetan invasion fails.[12] | |
| 1643 | A joint Mongol-Tibetan force sought to destroyNyingma refugees who had fled to Bhutan,Sikkim, andNepal. TheMongols had seized control of religious and civil power in Tibet in the 1630s and established the Gelug school as the state religion. Bhutanese rivals of Ngawang Namgyal encouraged the Mongol intrusion, but the Mongol force was easily defeated in the humid lowlands of southern Bhutan.[12] | |
| 1647 | Attempted Tibetan invasion fails.[12] | |
| 1651 | Ngawang Namgyal dies; however, his death is kept a secret for fifty-four years in order to keep Bhutan from disintegrating. While the Zhabdrung was supposedly away on an extended religious retreat, his son reigned.[13] | |
| 1680 | Bhutan invadesSikkim. The same year, Ngawang Namgyal's son is succeeded by the Zhabdrung's stepbrother.[13] | |
| 1700 | Bhutan invades Sikkim.[13] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1714 | Tibetan forces, aided by theMongols, invade Bhutan but fail to gain control.[13] | |
| 1730 | Cooch Behar first requests Bhutanese assistance in repellingMughal Empire encroachments, establishing a dependent relationship with Bhutan.[7][14] | |
| 1770 | Bhutan invades Sikkim, supported by troops fromCooch Behar.[14] | |
| 1772 | In a succession dispute inCooch Behar, the Druk Desi's nominee for the throne was opposed by a rival who invited British troops; in effect, Cooch Behar became a dependency of theBritish East India Company.[14] | |
| British expeditionary forces drive Bhutanese garrisons out ofCooch Behar, until that time a Bhutanese dependency. TheDruk Desi petitions Lhasa unsuccessfully for assistance.[14][15] (to 1773) | ||
| 1774 | 25 April | The Druk Desi signs a Treaty of Peace with theBritish East India Company. Under the treaty, Bhutan returns to its pre-1730 boundaries and allows the British to harvest timber in Bhutan.[15] |
| 1784 | British government turns over to Bhutan theBengalDuars territory, where boundaries had been poorly defined. As in its other foreign territories, Bhutan left administration of the Bengal Duars territory to local officials and collected its revenues.[15] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1815 | British mission to Thimphu fails to reach a conclusion amid increasing border tensions.[15] | |
| 1838 | British mission to Thimphu offers Bhutan a treaty providing for the extradition of Bhutanese officials responsible for incursions intoAssam, free and unrestricted commerce between India and Bhutan, and settlement of Bhutan's debt to the British. In an attempt to protect its independence, Bhutan rejected the British offer.[15] | |
| 1841 | British annex Bhutanese controlledAssamDuars, paying a compensation of 10,000 rupees a year to Bhutan.[15] | |
| 1842 | Bhutan cedes control of the troublesomeBengalDuars to Britain.[15] | |
| 1862 | Bhutanese forces raid Sikkim and Cooch Behar; the British respond by withholding all compensation payments and demanding release of all captives and return of stolen property. These demands went unheeded by the Druk Desi, as he was alleged to be unaware of frontier officials' raids.[15] | |
| 1864 | Britain sends a peace mission to Bhutan in the wake of a recent civil war, during a period when two rival claimants to the office of Druk Desi competed for power.[15] Though the British attempt to deal with both Druk Desis, the peace mission is rejected by Bhutan.[15] | |
| November | Britain declares war on Bhutan. TheDuar War lasts five months, resulting in Bhutan's defeat and cession of significant territory under theTreaty of Sinchula.[15] | |
| 1865 | 11 November | Bhutan signs theTreaty of Sinchula, ceding territories in the Assam Duars and Bengal Duars, as well as the eighty-three-square-kilometer territory of Dewangiri in southeastern Bhutan, in return for an annual subsidy of 50,000 rupees.[15] |
| 1870 | In the 1870s and 1880s, renewed competition among regional rivals – primarily the pro-Britishpenlop of Trongsa and the anti-British, pro-Tibetanpenlop ofParo – resulted in the ascendancy ofUgyen Wangchuck, the penlop of Trongsa.[15] (to 1880) | |
| 1885 | Ugyen Wangchuck,penlop (governor) ofTrongsa, puts down civil unrest across Bhutan, consolidates power, and cultivates closer ties withBritish India.[12][16] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | The last reigning Shabdrung dies, and a successor is not found until 1906. In the meantime, the civil administration comes under the power of theUgyen Wangchuck asDruk Desi.[15] | |
| Ugyen Wangchuck volunteers to accompany a British mission to Lhasa as a mediator in theBritish expedition to Tibet and resulting Anglo-Tibetan Convention. In return, Ugyen is knighted and thereafter continues to accrue greater power in Bhutan.[5][15] (to 1904) | ||
| 1907 | 17 December | Ugyen Wangchuck is elected Bhutan's first hereditary ruler (Druk Gyalpo) after having politically unified the country.[16][17] |
| 1910 | 8 January | TheTreaty of Punakha amends two articles of the 1865Treaty of Sinchula: the British agree to double the annual stipend to 100,000 rupees and "to exercise no interference in the internal administration of Bhutan." In turn, Bhutan agrees "to be guided by the advice of the British Government in regard to its external relations."[18] |
| 1926 | 21 August | King Ugyen Wangchuck dies; his sonJigme Wangchuck begins to reign. |
| 1927 | 16 March | Coronation of Jigme Wangchuck. |
| 1931 | The 7thShabdrungJigme Dorji dies atTalo monastery. Jigme Dorji is the last Shabdrung recognized by the government of Bhutan, though subsequent claimants to the incarnation continue today. | |
| 1947 | The British Empire leaves India, and direct political by the British ends. Bhutan remains relatively isolated from international affairs.[15] | |
| 1949 | 8 August | India and Bhutan sign the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which provided that India would not interfere in Bhutan's internal affairs but that Bhutan would be guided by India in its foreign policy. The same year, India cedes to Bhutan some territories lost to the British in the 1865Treaty of Sinchula.[12][15][16][17] |
| 1952 | 24 March | King Jigme Wangchuck dies; his sonJigme Dorji Wangchuck begins to reign. Bhutan begins a program of planned development and democratization.[16] The same year, theNational Assembly is established, and the post of Chief Minister (Gongzim) is abolished.[17] |
| 1957 | Majorglacial lake outburst flood fromglacial lakes.[19] | |
| 1958 | Slavery is abolished.[17] | |
| The firstNationality Act is enacted, defining Bhutanese citizenship and introducing a compulsory registration process.[20] | ||
| 1959 | Bhutanese enclaves in westernTibet are seized by the Chinese.[21] | |
| 1960 | Majorglacial lake outburst flood fromglacial lakes.[19] | |
| 1961 | FirstFive-Year Plan is introduced.[5] | |
| 1964 | 5 April | Prime MinisterJigme Palden Dorji is assassinated in a dispute among competing political factions. The King's own uncle, a military cadre, was among those executed for their role in the attempted coup. After a brief tenure by acting Prime MinisterLhendup Dorji, the post of Prime Minister is abolished until 1998.[5][17] |
| 1965 | Unsuccessful attempt to assassinate KingJigme Dorji Wangchuck.[17] | |
| 1966 | The capital is moved fromPunakha toThimphu through a transition period when Punakha was the winter capital and Thimphu the summer capital.[5][22] | |
| 1968 | King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck establishes the firstCouncil of Ministers, or executive cabinet.[17][23] At the same time, the king renounces his power of veto, which had never been used.[23] The king also creates theHigh Court (theThimkhang Gongma) and empowers it to review the king's decisions.[23] TheBank of Bhutan is also founded as a central bank, charged with supervising the transition from a barter economy to a monetary economy.[23] | |
| Majorglacial lake outburst flood fromglacial lakes.[19] | ||
| 1969 | Jigme Dorji Wangchuck called for a triennial vote of confidence by the National Assembly to renew the Druk Gyalpo's mandate to rule. This vote was later abolished by his successor.[5] | |
| 1970 | Bhutan's population reaches an estimated 300,000.[24] | |
| 1971 | Bhutan joins the United Nations.[16][17] | |
| 1972 | 21 July | King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck dies; his sonJigme Singye Wangchuck begins to reign. |
| 1974 | March | Strains between theWangchucks andDorjis were relieved with the return that year of the exiled members of the latter family. The reconciliation, however, was preceded by reports of a plot to assassinate the new Druk Gyalpo before his coronation could take place and to set fire to theTashichho Dzong, the seat ofgovernment inThimphu. Yangki, theDruk Gyalpo's Tibetan mistress, was the alleged force behind the plot. Thirty persons were arrested, including high government and police officials.[5] (to April) |
| 2 June | Coronation of Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The same year, the first foreign tourists are allowed to enter Bhutan.[17] | |
| 1978 | Bhutan's population reaches an estimated 400,000.[24] | |
| 1982 | The Royal Government establishes theRoyal Monetary Authority, the central bank of Bhutan.[25][26] | |
| 1985 | 10 June | TheBhutanese Citizenship Act 1985 is enacted.[27] |
| 1986 | Bhutan's population reaches an estimated 500,000.[24] | |
| One thousand illegalLhotshampa laborers are expelled.[5] | ||
| 1987 | Gasa District is split up amongPunakha andThimphu Districts;Chhukha District is carved out from parts ofSamtse,Paro, andThimphu Districts.[22][28] | |
| 1988 | Bhutan conducts its first census. As a result, manyLhotshampa (ethnic Nepalis) are branded as illegal immigrants.[17] | |
| After a census, the government begins evicting those it identifies as illegal immigrants among the Nepali-speaking population in southern Bhutan. Over two decades, the population ofBhutanese refugees inrefugee camps in neighboringNepal climbed to 107,000 by 2008 according toUNHCR.[17][29] | ||
| 1989 | Thedriglam namzha, the official behaviour and dress code, is elevated from recommended to mandatory in public and educational settings. Nepali ceases to be a language of instruction in schools, escalating tensions betweenNgalops andLhotshampas.[17] | |
| Tek Nath Rizal, leader of theBhutan Peoples' Party, is arrested and imprisoned.[30] | ||
| 1990 | Violent ethnic unrest and anti-government protests in southern Bhutan pressing for greater democracy and respect for minority rights. TheBhutan Peoples' Party, whose members are mostlyLhotshampa, begin a campaign of violence against the government. Pro-government citizen militias form in response to rising crime and violence including clashes betweenLhotshampa demonstrators and theRoyal Bhutan Army. The Bhutan Peoples' Party is subsequently banned.[5][17] | |
| 1991 | Jigme Singye Wangchuck threatens to abdicate in face of hardline opposition in theNational Assembly to his efforts to resolve ethnic unrest, leaving an international summit to attend to unrest.[5] | |
| 1992 | Tek Nath Rizal, leader of the illegalBhutan Peoples' Party, is sentenced to life imprisonment.[17] | |
| Gasa District is carved out fromPunakha District;Tashi Yangtse District is split fromTrashigang District. Otherdistrict boundaries are also changed[22][28] | ||
| 2 November | TheNational Security Act is enacted. The Act defines treason and speech crimes, as well as unlawful assembly, rioting, and states of emergency, providing for lengthy prison sentences,capital punishment, and the use of deadly force by the government to stop unlawful demonstrations.[31] | |
| 1994 | Majorglacial lake outburst flood fromglacial lakes, devastatingPunakha.[19] | |
| 1998 | The Council of Ministers (Lhengye Zhungtshog) replaces the cabinet, and King Jigme Singye Wangchuck withdraws from his role in the decision-making of the cabinet. The post ofPrime Minister (Lonchen) is restored. (to 1999) | |
| 1999 | Television is introduced.[17] | |
| 18 December | Tek Nath Rizal, leader of the illegalBhutan Peoples' Party, is pardoned and released from prison along with some 40 other political prisoners. He goes into exile inNepal, a common condition of release amongLhotshampa political dissidents.[30][32][33][34] | |
| 2000 | Bhutan and Nepal reach an agreement regarding the repatriation of certain classes ofBhutanese refugees living incamps in Nepal, subject to joint government verification. Points of contention included that some camp inhabitants were never citizens – or some even residents – of Bhutan before attaining refugee status. Also, the Bhutanese government regarded many political groups among the NepaleseLhotshampa community, such as theBhutan Peoples' Party (BPP) andBhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP), as terrorist or anti-national groups.[34][35] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | March | First verification ofBhutanese refugees eligible for repatriation commences in Nepaleserefugee camps. Actual repatriation is estimated to occur one year out.[35] As of 2011 over 200 refugees in theKhudunabari refugee camp alone had been certified, however no Bhutanese refugees had been repatriated.[36] |
| 2002 | Bhutan's population reaches an estimated 600,000.[24] | |
| 2003 | Several guerrilla groups seeking to establish an independent Assamese state in northeast India had set up guerrilla bases in the forests of southern Bhutan from which they launch cross-border attacks on targets in Assam. The largest guerrilla group was theUnited Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). Negotiations aimed at removing them peacefully from these bases failed in the spring of 2003. | |
| 15 December | TheRoyal Bhutan Army began military operations against guerrilla camps in southern Bhutan, in coordination withIndian armed forces who lined the border to the south to prevent the guerrillas from dispersing back into Assam. News sources indicated that of the 30 camps that were targeted, 13 were controlled by ULFA, 12 camps by theNational Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), and 5 camps controlled by theKamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO). By January 2004, government news reports indicated the guerrillas had been routed from their bases. | |
| 2004 | 20 March | Capital punishment in Bhutan is abolished.[37] |
| 2005 | 26 March | Proposed constitution is unveiled under which Bhutan would transition from absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.[17] |
| December | King Jigme Singye Wangchuck announces he will abdicate in 2008, when democratic parliamentary elections are held, and names Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to succeed him.[17] | |
| 2006 | January | Authorities arrest two civil servants in the village ofNago inParo District, accusing them of engaging in acts of proselytism under the false pretext of holding an official meeting, maligning the Spiritual Head of Bhutan (Je Khenpo), posing as officials on official business, and giving false information. In accordance with provisions in thePenal Code and theNational Security Act, both men are found guilty in adistrict court. Christian groups maintain the men were arrested due to their religious beliefs since, according to these groups, the men were arrested while showing a Christian film in a Buddhist home. They are sentenced in early June 2006 in an open trial with a public hearing to three and a half years and three years in prison. They did not appeal the court judgment, although the right to appeal was provided for by law. On 28 July 2006, both men were released after payment of a fine.[38] |
| June | Bhutanese refugees in Nepaleserefugee camps protest, pressing for third-country resettlement.[17] (to August) | |
| 14 December | Abdication of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, ahead of the date previously announced; his sonJigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck begins to reign. | |
| 2007 | 5 January | The Royal Government enacts the Immigration Act of 2007, amending theBhutanese Citizenship Act 1985 and establishing the Department of Immigration under theMinistry of Home and Cultural Affairs to implement and administer immigration laws through immigration offices. The Act endowed officers of the Department of Immigration with broad police and prosecution powers: they may enter any private or official premises in order to search, arrest, seize, detain, interrogate or to demand forfeiture of any vehicles, trains, vessels, aircraft, or goods.[39] |
| February | Bhutan signs an agreement with India giving the kingdom more say in itsforeign and defense policies.[17] | |
| 3 February | Reports allege the currentZhabdrung Rinpoche, Pema Namgyel (b. 20 November 2003 – then a small child) had been held under house arrest in Bhutan along with his parents since October 2005, when the family traveled to meet the Reincarnation Committee. The Committee later denied his reincarnation status.[40][41][42] | |
| April | Mock elections are staged to familiarise voters with parliamentary democracy ahead of planned polls in 2008.[17] | |
| 31 December | FirstNational Council election for the 20 elected non-partisan seats inNational Council, Bhutan's upper house. Only 15 out of 20dzongkhags (districts), however, were set to begin voting. InThimphu,Trashiyangtse,Gasa,Haa andLhuntse Districts, there were either no candidates or a single candidate, and elections were delayed until 29 January 2008. | |
| 2008 | January | A series of bombs blast the kingdom ahead of elections slated for 24 March. The attacks are blamed on armedLhotshampa groups.[17] (to February) |
| 24 March | In Bhutan'sfirst parliamentary elections, the pro-monarchyBhutan Peace and Prosperity Party wins 45 out of 47 seats in theNational Assembly, Bhutan's lower house. Another pro-monarchy party, thePeople's Democratic Party, wins the remaining two seats inGasa andHaa Districts. | |
| 18 July | TheConstitution of Bhutan is enacted. The first ever Constitution of Bhutan, it sets forth a bicameral parliamentary democratic framework to safeguard human rights, while enshrining the institution of themonarchy,Drukpa LineageBuddhism, and traditionalNgalopBhutanese culture.[43] | |
| November | Thegovernment of India alleges links betweenAssamese separatists and the illegal BhutaneseDruk National Congress.[17] | |
| 1 November | Coronation ofJigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.[44] | |
| 2009 | April | Huanglongbing virus decimates Bhutan's orange crop, an important export for the kingdom.[17] |
| 11 September | Parliament enacts theLocal Government Act of Bhutan 2009, the sixth legislative reform of Bhutanese local governments since 1999. The Act devolves various administrative powers toDzongkhags (districts),Dungkhags (subdistricts),Gewogs (village blocks),Chiwogs (constituencies), andThromdes (municipalities) while retaining legislative authority as the sole purview of the central government.[45] | |
| 21 September | The 6.1-magnitude2009 Bhutan earthquake strikesMongar District, causing at least 12 deaths, extensive destruction, and severe aftershocks in Bhutan.[46][47] | |
| 2010 | March | Adistrict court interprets theconstitutional clause regarding religious "coercion or inducement" to prohibit not onlyforced conversion but alsoproselytism in the case of a Christian missionary pastor who used a generator and a projector in a private home on 21 May 2009. The pastor received a sentence of three years imprisonment for infringing the Constitution.[48] |
| 16 June | Parliament enacts theTobacco Control Act, restricting import and possession, and banning the sale of tobacco in Bhutan.[49] | |
| 2011 | 24 January | Sonam Tshering, a 23-year-oldordained monk fromLangpa inHaa, was caught with 480 grams of chewing tobacco (purchased forNu.120) en route fromPhuntsholing toThimphu. This presented the first prosecution under the Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010 and was the result of a private individual informing the police that Tshering possessed tobacco. Although Tshering revealed the source of his tobacco to mitigate and qualify his offense as a misdemeanor, he failed to identify the location and supplier of the tobacco, apparently somewhere in the border town ofJaigaon. He was thus convicted of a felony, and sentenced to the minimum imprisonment of three years. The conviction and especially the sentence have made the Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010 controversial in urban Bhutan due to their severity. Although theConstitution of Bhutan guarantees all persons the right to be represented by ajabmi (attorney), the ThimphuDzongkhag Court closed the case before anyjabmi could offer services. Tshering has since appealed the Dzongkhag Court ruling to theHigh Court of Bhutan, for which has retained a private attorney.[50][51] |
| 23 January | Local government elections, originally slated for 2008, begin on a staggered scale in 3 of Bhutan's 20Dzongkhags:Thimphu,Phuntsholing, andSamdrup Jongkhar.[52] | |
| 24 February | TheSupreme Court of Bhutan declares unconstitutional the government's raising of personal vehicle import taxes in June 2010 without bicameral presentment and debate, affirming the judgment of theHigh Court Constitutional Bench against theAttorney General and for the Opposition inParliament.[53] | |
| 28 June | The Election Commission announces the results of the firstlocal government elections under theConstitution of Bhutan.[54] Originally slated for 2008, elections faced multiple delays related to voter registration and constituency demarcation. Furthermore, voter turnout crept to 56% of eligible voters amid public sentiments of distrust and futility.[55] In several instances, voters were unable to cast votes; in a few cases, legally unqualified candidates ran and won seats. Disqualified candidates, uncontested seats, and inconclusive results in some constituencies required the Election Commission to rerun elections at a later date.[52][54][56][57][58] | |
| 13 October | King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck marries Jetsun Pema.[59][60][61]Jetsun Pema, childhood friend of the Fifth King, becomes his Queen in a traditional Buddhist ceremony followed by three days of public holiday and celebrations.[62][63][64] The much anticipated wedding, announced 20 May, was the largestmedia event in Bhutanese history.[65][66] | |
| 2013 | 8 March | The Speaker of theNational Assembly, Jigme Tshultim, sentenced to 2 years 6 months imprisonment for official misconduct, fraud, and deceptive practices; and the then Home Minister, Lyonpo Minjur Dorji, and 13 Plot Allotment committee members sentenced to a year imprisonment by theMongar District Court for official misconduct in the Gyelpozhing land allotment case.[67] On appeal, the convictions and sentences are upheld by theHigh Court of Bhutan on 16 May[68] and by theSupreme Court on 17 Julyth.[69] |
| 13 April | National Council elections held[70] | |
| 31 May | Primary round ofNational Assembly elections held. Results: DCT—12,457 votes; DNT—35,962 votes; PDP-68,650 votes; DPT—93,949 votes.[71] | |
| 13 July | Final round of2013 Bhutanese National Assembly election, held. Results:PDP-32 seats; DPT—15 seats.[72] New Prime Minister:Tshering Tobgay. |
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