Tibetans Vote to Elect Kalon Tripa
Saturday, 3 June 2006, 12:00 PM
Dharamshala: The final round of the direct election for the post of Kalon Tripa of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is underway.
The voters, in long queue that stretches down the road, seems excited and animated in this scorching summer day as they waited for their turn to cast their votes.
Exiled Tibetans across the globe are voting today to elect the head of the Central Tibetan Administration.
“I feel it is the most important right as well as duty of every individual in democracy. The universal definition of a democratic government which is government of the people, by the people and for the people can be satisfied only when we take part in election”, said Sonam, an official of the CTA.
Of the two candidates in the contest Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, incumbent Kalon Tripa, and Juchen Thupten Namgyal, Trisur, it is widely expected that Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche will become the next Kalon Tripa.
In the preliminary round of Kalon Tripa’s election held on 18 March 2006 Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche won more than 82% of the of the votes cast.
(www.tibet.net is the official website of the Central Tibetan Administration.)