Democracy dies behind closed doors

October 28, 2024

THIMPHU – In a concerning development for Bhutan’s democratic principles, the directive mandating all government communications through the Policy and Planning Division’s media focal persons raises serious constitutional questions. This bureaucratic barrier not only challenges media freedom but also contradicts His Majesty’s vision of participatory democracy, particularly evident in His Majesty’s recent call during the Australian visit for open dialogue on GMC. The restriction, channeling information through officials with limited authority, threatens the constitutional cornerstone of transparent governance- adding salt to already wounded media.

The new communication restrictions fundamentally clash with our constitutional framework. Article 7 provides a trilogy of interconnected rights: Section 2 guarantees freedom of speech and expression, Section 3 enshrines the right to information, and Section 5 explicitly protects “freedom of the press, radio and television and other forms of dissemination of information.” These rights, coupled with the establishment of Bhutan as a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy where sovereign power resides with the people, demand transparent governance. Article 20 provides the dual mandate for good governance and the Lhengye Zhungtshog’s obligation to ensure democratic administration.

Media’s democratic function transcends simple information sharing, fundamentally connecting to citizens’ voting rights under Article 7, Section 6. When MOICE creates artificial barriers between media and government officials, it hampers voters’ access to unfiltered information from elected representatives, thereby undermining their constitutional right to make informed electoral decisions.

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