DHARAMSHALA, March 21: On the seventh day of the ongoing budget session of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, an amendment motion seeking to alter the title ‘Bod Mei Drik Tsug’ failed to secure the required two-thirds majority.
After allowing a limited debate, the Speaker of the Parliament set the bill to vote during an extended evening session of the house.
The amendment bill secured 23 votes, six less than the required two-thirds majority.
The amendment bill legislating a change in the name of “Bod Mei Drik Tsuk” (lit. Institution/Organization of the Tibetan People) to “Ud Bod Mei Shung,” (lit. Central Tibetan People’s Government) was tabled on the floor of the house yesterday.
The Tibetan language title for the Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration has until recently been referred to as “Tsenjol Bhoe Zhung” (lit. Exile Tibet Government).
The 14th Tibetan Parliament had approved the change in the name “Tsenjol Bhoe Zhung” to “Bod Mei Drik Tsuk” during its three-day special session in May last year.
The change was effected after the Tibetan Parliament amended the Tibetan Charter paving way for the devolution of the Dalai Lama’s entire administrative and political powers to the democratically elected Tibetan leadership.
The standing committee officially introduced yesterday’s amendment bill after a closed-door meeting of the parliamentarians a few days earlier. Different sections of the society have expressed popular discontentment with the retained title, saying that it fails to represent the “struggle and the legacy” of the Tibetan people.
The ongoing third session of the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile will end on March 24, 2012.
