Tibetans holding Indian voter ID cards should surrender their RC within one month: Kangra SP
By Lobsang Tenchoe
DHARAMSALA, Feb 12: Tibetan refugees holding Indian voter ID cards in Kangra district have been directed to surrender their Registration Certificate (RC) within a month by the Superintendent of Police (SP), Kangra District.
SP Santosh Patial has reportedly issued a circular across Tibetan settlements in Kangra directing Tibetans who have availed either Indian citizenship or voting rights to surrender their RC within a month to the Foreigner’s Registration Office.
The SP is said to have sent copies of the circular to Tibetan settlements in McLeod Ganj, Bir Tibetan Society, Nangchen division, Dege division and Tashi Jong Tibetan camp earlier on Feb 3.
Around 1000 Tibetan refugees from Kangra district are said to have registered to vote and exercised their right in the State Assembly Elections, but a staggering 296 of them have reportedly voted without surrendering their RC’s.
“The possession of Registration Certificate indicates their foreign status whereas the acquisition of Indian Voter ID card would enable them to prove their Indian identities, which have security implication,” the circular said.
“Tibetans who have procured either Indian passport or voting card should relinquish their Registration Certificate and Identity Certificate issued to Tibetan refugees by the Indian government as a legal protocol. To possess Indian passport or voting card along with the RC and IC issued to Tibetan refugees by the Indian government is illegal,” the President of Central Tibetan Administration Dr Lobsang Sangay said in the Tibetan Parliament on Sept 29, 2017 during the final day of the 2nd session of the 16th Tibetan Parliament.
