Exiled Tibetans vote to elect 2 U-Tsang MPs
[Monday, 20 June 2011, 6:37 p.m.]
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| A monk cast his vote as other voters are seen waiting in queues at a polling booth in Dharamsala, India, on Sunday, 19 June 2011/TibetNet photo |
DHARAMSHALA:
Exiled Tibetans belonging to U-Tsang Province (Central Tibet) yesterday
cast their ballots in the preliminary round of poll to elect two
lawmakers from their constituency.
The election is necessitated by two vacant seats for U-Tsang in the incumbent 15th
Tibetan Parliament, as only 8 MPs were elected in the final round of
parliamentary election held in March this year. A candidate has to poll
33% of the total votes cast to become an MP.
Like
Do-Mey and Do-Toe provinces, the U-Tsang Province is represented by 10
parliamentarians in the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
Mr Jamphel Choesang, the chief Tibetan election commissioner of the Central Tibetan Administration, told Tibetonline TV that voting took place in India, Bhutan, and in Nepal except Kathmandu.
He said the voting went smoothly at all the 10 polling stations in Dharamsala, the seat of Central Tibetan Administration.
People came in droves to exercise their franchise in Dharamsala.
Talking to TibetNet
at a polling booth in Dharamsala, Tenzin Norbu, 27, said he considers
voting as his bounden duty to put in place a good and responsible
leadership.
The election commission will announce the result of the preliminary poll on 25 July.
Following
this, the candidates who wish to stand for the election will have to
submit their biography (not exceeding 300 words) along with a colour
photograph to the office of the chief election commission (CEC) by 12
August. Those who do not wish to stand are required to submit their
leave application to the CEC by the same deadline.
The final round of election will take place on 11 September 2011.
