Tibetans around the world voted today for a new leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile, world media reported.
The Dalai Lama has announced his retirement as Tibetan political leader and said he would hand power to an elected successor.
“As many as 83,399 exiled Tibetan settled in India, Nepal, Bhutan, the United States, European countries, Australia, Japan, Russia and other countries were eligible to exercise their franchise to elect the Prime minister and 43 members of Tibetan Parliament-in-exile,” Press Trust of India cited Jamphel Choesang, chief election commissioner, as saying.
The Dalai Lama sent a seven-page formal letter to the Tibetan parliament in exile in Dharamsala.
The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959, has repeatedly said he seeks autonomy for Tibet rather than independence from China.
Beijing accused the Nobel Peace Prize winner of orchestrating the March 2008 unrest in Tibet, which left 19 people dead and 623 injured, according to official Chinese reports. The Dalai Lama has denied the allegations.
NEW DELHI, March 20 (RIA Novosti)