The House held the Third Reading of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan, 2024 today. The Chairperson of the Legislative Committee, Member from Nyishog-Saephu Constituency, presented the Committee’s review report on the Bill.

The Chairperson informed the House that the Committee had thoroughly reviewed the Bill and conducted consultations with relevant stakeholders, including legal experts, ADR practitioners, and concerned agencies. The amendments aim to strengthen the legal framework for alternative dispute resolution in Bhutan by professionalizing the Bhutan ADR Centre, enhancing institutional integrity, and aligning national practices with international standards.

The House deliberated on the amendments made by the National Council, the Legislative Committee’s Recommendations compared to the original provisions of the Act. The House further retained the original provision of Section 30 which states that “Sections 26, 27, 28 and 29 of this Act shall not apply to written communications served or exchanged by the judicial authority” as in the original Act instead of the amendment proposed by the National Council and the Legislative Committee. 

The House completed deliberation on the Bill till Chapter III, Section 47 and will continue deliberation tomorrow.