Agency: The National Council (NC) in a press release alleged that the National Assembly (NA) had unilaterally removed the Priority Development Fund (PDF) from the Annual Budget Appropriation Bill after the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional but the NA did not consult with the NC or seek consensus before submitting for Royal Assent.The NC called for an emergency meeting of the relevant committees of both the houses to seek formal explanation on the steps taken, reinforcing NC’s mandate as house of review and ensuring Parliamentary accountability.
National Assembly (NA) in reply said the PDF, initially proposed at Nu 2 million (mn) per constituency totaling Nu 94 mn was incorporated in the FY 2025–26 budget following a motion adopted in the first session of the Fourth Parliament. The House Committee’s motion for a Constituency Development Grant (CDG) received majority support, with 33 Members voting in favour and 12 abstaining.
According to the NA, the proposal was supported by a legal opinion from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), which stated that while there was no existing law on CDG, inclusion in the Budget Bill would provide a legal basis for the PDF. The Ministry of Finance (MoF) accordingly proposed that the fund be drawn from gewog-level allocations in the 13th Five-Year Plan, with implementation guidelines to be finalized upon parliamentary approval.The Budget Appropriation Bill, including the PDF allocation, was passed by the NA on 13th June 2025 and forwarded to the National Council (NC).
