EC calls on Tibetans to register to vote in 2021 General Election
DHARAMSALA, 21 Aug: The Tibetan Election Commission today called on Tibetans to register to vote in the 2021 election for the Sikyong(President) of the Tibetan people and Chitue (members of Parliament).
“Voter’s registration will start from 1 September 2020 and must conclude by 15 October 2020,” Wangdu Tsering Pesur, the Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) of the Central Tibetan Administration announced at a press conference flanked by his assistants on both sides.
“Since voter registration is extremely important, we urge all Tibetan people who are eligible to vote to kindly register within the given time,” he added.
To register to vote, the CEC said that Tibetans must have paid their Green Book dues up to 31st March 2020 as stated in the Charter of Tibetans in Exile.
The commission declared earlier on 5th August that it will conduct a fresh voter’s registration as laid out in the Article 17, 18, 20 and 21 of the Tibetan Electoral Rules and Regulations which deals with the provisions for voter registration and the recent amendments in the Article 16 (4) appendix (a).
The CEC said that the move was initiated “in order to have a properly verified list of registered voters” and thereby urged all regional election commissions as well as the public at large” to ensure that every Tibetan who is eligible to vote are registered and exercise their complete participation in the polls and to promote free, fair, and credible election.
He further called on Regional Election Commissions, the Registration Officers, and the general voters to follow the voter’s registration process as per the Election rules and regulations.
As per the Charter of Tibetans in Exile, Tibetans holding updated Green Book who have attained the age of eighteen as of 31 October 2020 are entitled to the right to vote with the exception for those people who are disqualified from voter registration under Article 18 (5).
Though the Tibetan Election Commission has expressed its commitment to conduct the 2021 General Elections of Sikyong and members of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile “as per the stipulated time period, despite the current challenges precipitated by the COVID-19 crisis,” it is yet to set the poll dates.
