Dharamsala, 23rd March 2023: Chaired by Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, the eighth day of the fifth session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile began with the deliberation and clarification on the budgets of the offices under the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) at 9:30 am.
Proposed 2023-2024 budgets of the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI), the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; Indo Tibet Coordination Office (ITCO), Delhi; Office of Tibet, Washington DC; Tibetan Community Development Fund (TCDF); Tibet Bureau, Geneva; the Office of Tibet, London; the Tibet House Trust, London; Tibet Information Office, Canberra; Tibetan Cultural Centre Limited, Australia and Liaison Office of the H.H. the Dalai Lama, Tokyo were sanctioned after the required discussion.
Likewise, the proposed budgets of the Japan Tibet House Trust; and Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office, Kathmandu; the Tibetan Culture and Information Centre, Moscow; Bureau du Tibet, Brussels; Bureau de Tibet, Paris; the Office of Tibet, Pretoria; Tibet Religious Foundation of H.H. the Dalai Lama, Taipei; Tibet House, Brazil; Tibetan Freedom Movement (BRDL); the Election Commission; the Public Service Commission; Office of the Auditor General; Audit General’s branch in South; Audit General’s branch in South in Nepal; Audit General’s branch in Dekyiling; the Department of Finance; DOF’s Tibetan Administration’s Welfare Society (TAWS), His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Charitable trust, Social and Resource Development Fund (SARD), and staff mess were also approved after due deliberation.
The session proceeded with Legislative Procedure’s Second Reading, the amendment to the Charter of Tibetans in exile’s Article 63 (I) on the eligibility of the Justice Commissioners of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission was repealed after failing to receive two third of the vote.
Amendment on the Charter of Tibetans in exile’s Article 25, Article 45 (II), Article 47, Article 63 (III), Article 97 (II), Article 101 (III), and Article 107 (II) on the oath-taking of the Sikyong & the Kalons, the Speaker & the Deputy Speaker, Parliamentarians, the Chief Justice Commissioner & the Justice Commissioners, the Chief Election Commission, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, and the Auditor General of the Office of the Auditor were also repealed after failing to receive two third of the vote.
Proposed amendments to Article 5 (I), Article 6 (V)(VI)(VII), Article 7 (XII), Article 9 (V)(VIII), Article 12 (I to XI) of the Rules and Regulation for allotment of residential quarters for staff and former staff and amendment on Article 9 of the Rules of Budget were passed unanimously for the third reading.
Amendments to Articles 7, 10, & 18 of the Rules and Regulation for Tibetan Voluntary Contribution and other contributions were passed for the third reading with some amendments. However, an amendment to Article 12 of the Rules and Regulation for Tibetan Voluntary Contribution and other contributions was repealed after failing to receive the necessary votes.
Amendments to Article 8 of the Rules and regulation for salaries and other allowances for the Supreme Justice Commissioner and other Justice Commissioners, Articles 6 & 7 of Rules and regulation for honorarium, daily allowances, and other entitlements for the members of the Tibetan Parliament, Article 8 of Rules and regulation for salaries and other allowances of the Sikyong and the Kalons, Article 8 of the Rules and regulation for salaries and other allowance for the Chief Election Commission, Article 8 of the Rules and regulation for salaries and other allowances for the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, and Article 8 of the Rules and regulation for salaries and other allowances for the Auditor General of the Office of the Auditor were also repealed after failing to receive the needed votes.
The session adjourned at 5 pm.
