4. Kalon Tripa's Elections Postponed

Phayul, Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Dharamshala September 27 - The poll dates for the Kalon Tripa has been postponed. This was announced at a press conference by the chief election commissioner Tashi Phuntsok. Phuntsok said that the election commission has received letters of request from many Tibetans expressing their concerns about the polling dates. The Tibetans began to directly elect their Kalon Tripa (de facto prime minister) in 2001 after an amendment in the Tibetan charter. The preliminary round of election of the Kalon Tripa was earlier scheduled on December 22, 2005 which now has been postponed to March 18,2006 coinciding with the final elections of the 14th Assembly of the Tibetan People's Deputies. After series of meetings and consultation among the three election commissioners, it has been decided that the preliminary election and the final election of the Kalon Tripa will be held on March 18, 2006 and June 3, 2006 respectively, said Phuntsok. A majority of the exile Tibetan population depends on winter business of hosiery goods and the previous election date falls at a time when they are not available in their respective settlements. The election commission received appeals to either arrange polling stations for the Tibetan business communities at their respective business places or possibly set a date when the Tibetans will be at their settlements. Earlier, the election commission has announced that the registration for preliminary elections of 14th ATPD will be valid only for the final elections of the 14th ATPD only and not for the election of Kalon Tripa. But now voters registering for the preliminary election of the Kalon Tripa before the deadline of October 30 will be eligible to vote for the final elections of the 14th ATPD as well even if they have not registered for the preliminary election of the 14th ATPD, Phuntsok added. http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?article=Kalon+Tripa%e2%80%99s+Elections+Postponed&id=10839