By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Sep. 26: A major reform proposal by the ruling Kashag (Cabinet) in the rules of the Central Tibetan Administration’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections failed to gather support in the house.
The proposed amendments that called primarily for a one-time election instead of the existing two phase election was dropped in the house on Tuesday. Only a single legislator expressed support for the amendments while many others spoke against the proposed amendments by the Dr. Sangay led Kashag.
President Sangay said that the existing gap of 100 days between the preliminary and final election is a hot-bed for unwanted elements in the society to brew discord along the lines of regionalism as well as ill-intent designs of China.
He also pointed that in the 2016 general elections and in other previous polls, winners in the preliminary round were also victorious in the vote count during the final elections and that public mandate did not shift during the two phase elections.
Many legislators, however, argued that the existing two-phase voting system provided opportunity for the voters to better gauge their choices and provides opportunity to select candidates out of the pool of aspirants.
At the end of the day-seven of the ongoing session, the proposed amendments brought in by the Kashag dropped due to lack of backing in the house.
The head of the Tibetan polity, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, following the discourse thanked the house for the participation of the legislators and Speaker of the house for moderating the discussions on the issue.
