Ex-Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley has resigned from the Parliament, becoming the first person in the country to quit the legislative body.
Thinley's Druk Phuensum Tshogpa party was routed by People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Bhutan's second national elections held on July 13. The PDP won 32 seats in the 47-member National Assembly.
The National Assembly Speaker Jigme Zangpo yesterday accepted resignation of 60-year-old Thinley, who put in his paper on July 31.
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He was an MP from the Nanong-Shumar constituency. However, it is not known why he resigned from the parliament.
For the vacant post, a bye-election is to happen soon.
This is the first time ever an MP in Bhutan has submitted his/her resignation in the Parliament.
With the law unclear on how to proceed, the Speaker said in order to make sure they didn't make mistakes on day one, various provisions had to be studied.
Thinley was one of the 15 DPT candidates who were elected in the recent general elections.
He championed the Gross National Happiness movement which was incorporated as the 9th Millennium Development Goals by the United Nations.
Bhutan has a tri-cameral parliament of the King, National Council and the National Assembly. There are 25 seats in the National Council or the Upper House. Five of them are appointed by the King and 20 are elected from 20 districts.
