Dalai Lama's power to be given to elected leadership: Samdhong Rinpoche

Dharamshala, May 29 (ANI): The outgoing Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche has said the powers of the Dalai Lama would be given to the new leadership and its Parliament members.

Speaking to mediapersons after the closing of the 14th house of Tibetan parliament in-exile here, Rinpoche said: "The amendments as per wish of his holiness have been completed. Now all the powers and functions of the Dalai Lama have been devoted to the elected leadership."

Karma Chophel, a Tibetan parliamentarian and former Speaker of the Tibetan parliament in-exile, said the Dalai Lama had refused to be the ceremonial head of the state, but had agreed to play a different role to guide the Tibetans in the quest for freedom of their homeland from the Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lama, who has relinquished political power in the Tibetan government-in-exile, on May 25, declined the offer to remain as its nominated symbolic head of the Tibetan people.

He made his wish known after addressing members of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile and fellow monks who had gathered to discuss the devolution of the Dalai Lama's administrative powers. (ANI)