Dharamsala, June 13 (IANS) A new prime minister and parliament of the Tibetan government-in-exile based in this northern Indian hill town will be held in March next year, an official said Sunday.
‘The primary elections to nominate candidates will be held Oct 3 while the general elections will take place March 20, 2011,’ chief election commissioner Jamphel Choesang told IANS.
According to him, some 120,000 Tibetan exiles worldwide above the age of 18 are eligible to vote. In 2006, 32,205 of 72,000 registered voters exercised their franchise.
Incumbent Samdhong Rinpoche became the first directly elected prime minister in September 2001 after the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, called for a directly elected political leader of the exiles.
The Dalai Lama has been based in this town since fleeing Tibet in 1959. His government-in-exile is not recognised by any county.
