Dharamshala: - September 27, 2012, Dr Lobsang Sangay, the democratically-elected leader of the Central Tibetan Administation (CTA) ratified the recent amendments made to the Charter of Tibetans in Exile to change the official title of Kalon Tripa to Sikyong or Tibetan "political leader."
Dr Sangay signed the Charter amendment at a ceremony held this morning at the Kashag Secretariat, Dharamshala, India. Members of the Kashag, Secretaries of Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat and Kashag Secretariat greeted Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay following the signing ceremony.
The charter amendment bill number 39 was introduced by Kalon (minister) of security Dhongchung Ngodup on the seventh day of the fourth session of the 15th Tibetan parliament-in-exile and it was endorsed by Kalon (minister) of home Dolma Gyari.
"The move to bring a motion on charter amendment to change the title of Kalon Tripa to Sikyong in the Parliament was discussed in the Kashag. The Parliament gave its unanimous approval to the charter amendment. We consider it as a historic transition and the need of the hour," Kalon Ngodup Dongchung told Tibet TV after the ceremony.
The 15h Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile unanimously approved the charter amendment during its fourth session held from 14-22 September.
The name change has been effected following His Holiness the Dalai Lama's speech on August 8, 2011. Following the devolution of his political authority to the democratically-elected Tibetan leadership, the Tibetan spiritual leasder had said that he was handing over the political leadership he inherited from "Sikyong Taktra Rinpoche" to "Sikyong Lobsang Sangay." Sangay was elected in the third direct elections for the Kalon Tripa held in March 2011.
"I took over the political leadership of Tibet from "Sikyong Taktra Rinpoche," when I was 16 years old. Today, in the 21st century, when democracy is thriving, I hand over the political leadership of Tibet to "Sikyong Lobsang Sangay," the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the 14th Dalai lama said.
However, after this amendment, title "Kalon" or minister for the remaining seven members of the Kashag (Cabinet) the highest executive office of the CTA amongst the three democratic pillars will continue to remain the same.
