Dungkhag

Under Bhutan's first government Act of decentralization, the Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu Chathrim of 2002 Dungpas were given a non-voting seat on the Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu.[1] Under the Local Government Act of 2007, dungkhags provided general administration and coordination for two or more gewogs. As a result, some gewogs within a given district were directly subordinate to dungkhags while others are directly subordinate to dzongkhags. Dungkhag Administrations guided and supported their constituent Gewog Administrations and implemented the decisions of the Dzongkhag Tshogdu. Dungpas were administrative executives that reported directly to the Dzongkhag administration. The Dungpa was empowered to attend the meetings of the Gewog Tshogdes as a non-voting member.[2]

In addition to administrative functions, Dungkhag Courts were codified under the Judicial Act of 2007 and Constitution of 2008 as a court of first instance within the judicial system of Bhutan. These courts are subordinate to Dzongkhag Courts.[3][4]

Under the Local Government Act of 2009, the administrative status of dungkhags is eschewed, and Dungpas are not specified to attend meetings of the Dzongkhag Tshogdu. The repeal of the Local Government Act of 2007 means that although dungkhags are no longer legal administrative divisions, they remain judicial and law enforcement jurisdictions under the Constitution.[4][5]

The internal territorial divisions of Bhutan, including dungkhags and their constituent gewogs, are subject to alteration by the Government of Bhutan through creation, transfer, and merger.[4][5] For example, in 2002, there were 199 gewogs in the 20 dzongkhags;[6] by 2005, there were 205.[7] In 2007, Lhamozingkha Dungkhag was formally transferred from Sarpang Dzongkhag to Dagana Dzongkhag,[8] affecting the town of Lhamozingkha and three constituent gewogs – Lhamozingkha, Deorali and Nichula (Zinchula) – that formed the westernmost part of Sarpang and became the southernmost part of Dagana.[9] Such changes are reflected in the list below.

As of 2007, there were 16 dungkhags among nine of twenty Bhutanese dzongkhags.[10][11]

Dzongkhag[8][11]	Dungkhag[8][10][11]	Gewog[8][11]
Chukha	Phuentsholing[12]	Dala
		Logchina
		Phuentsholing
Dagana	Dagapela	Dorona
		Goshi
		Trashiding
	Lhamoy Zingkha[13]	Lhamoy Zingkha
		Deorali
		Nichula
Pema Gatshel	Nganglam[14]	Dechenling
		Choekhorling
		Norbugang
Samdrup Jongkhar	Bhangtar[15]	Dalim
		Martshala
		Samrang
	Jomotsangkha[16][17]	Lauri
		Serthi
	Samdrup Choling[15][18]	Pemathang
		Phuntshothang
Samtse	Chengmari	Chengmari
		Chargharey
	Dorokha[19]	Denchukha
		Dorohka
		Dungtoe
	Sipsu	Bara
		Tendu
		Biru
		Lehereni
		Sipsu
Sarpang	Gelephu	Bhur
		Gelephu
		Sherzhong
		Taklai
Thimphu	Lingzhi[20]	Lingzhi
		Naro
		Soe
Trashigang	Sakteng	Merak
		Sakten
	Thrimshing[21]	Kangpara
		Thrimshing
	Wamrong[22]	Khaling
		Lumang
Zhemgang	Panbang[23]	Bjoka
		Goshing
		Ngangla
		Phangkhar

• Dzongkhag (list)
• Gewog
  • Chiwog
    • Villages of Bhutan
• Dungkhag Court
• Local Government Act of Bhutan 2009