By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, December 16: A parliamentary representative from the Domey (Amdo) Province Mr Penpa Tsering was Tuesday sworn in as the new Speaker of the 14th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE).
Mr Penpa was officially sworn in by the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama at a ceremony held at the latter’s residence here earlier this morning.
The chief justice commissioner, justice commissioners, deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament and members of the Kashag attended the swearing-in ceremony.
Mr Penpa Tsering replaced the former Speaker Mr Karma Chophel, whose term ended on 30 November, 2008, after holding the position for a period of two and a half years, beginning April 2006. Mr Penpa will now hold the Speaker’s position for the remaining half of the five-year term of the 14th TPiE.
In May 2006, the members of the 14th TPiE was forced to reach a final consensus to divide the Speaker’s five year term into two halves to be shared between the two competent contenders after both failed to win majority’s support in the house.
Prior to becoming the new speaker, Penpa Tsering served as the executive director of the Delhi-based Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre (TPPRC).
He was elected to the twelfth, thirteenth and the fourteenth Tibetan Parliament-in-exile.
The Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, based in Dharamsala, which also serves as the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, is the highest legislative organ of the exile polity.
The current 14th Tibetan Parliament has 43 members, who are elected representing the three traditional provinces, four Tibetan Buddhist sects and the traditional Bon religion of Tibet.
The members are directly elected by Tibetan exiles above the age of 18 from their respective constituencies around the world.
