Tibetan general elections 2021

Dharamshala: Tibetans living in 26 countries including India are voting today  for the final phase of elections for Sikyong( president of Central Tibetan administration )and 45 members of Tibetan parliament in exile, having the headquarters in Dharamshala north india.

In this last phase of Poll now only two candidates  , Penpa Tsering and Aukatsang Kelsang Dorjee are   in the fray  for the post of  president of central Tibetan administration. Former speaker Penpa Tsering is emerging as the front runner. Sikyong is the head of the Kashag or Cabinet, part of the executive branch of the Central Tibetan Administration. The Sikyong position in the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) was created by the Tibetan Parliament in 2011 to provide democratic governance to the exiled Tibetan community.  Before that,  Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama used to exercise the powers as temporal head of the Tibetan community in all affairs.

Dr Sangay, who became the first Sikyong of the CTA, has held the post for two terms, and according to their constitution , he is debarred from contesting a third term. In 2016, Tsering lost to Dr Lobsang Sangay, but this time he seems to have a clear edge.
 
Talking to Media Sangay said, " we are sending a clear message to Beijing that there is no democracy in China and Tibetans don't enjoy freedom but under the great leadership of his holiness the Dalai Lama we in-exile have been given this gift of democracy and  today is a proud day...”
 
During the first phase of elections there were eight candidates for Sikyong/ President in which Pempa Tsering secured the highest 24488 votes and Aukatsang Kelsang Dorjee secured second highest 14544 votes.
 
Wangdu Tsering, the chief election commissioner of Tibetan election commission says, " I am very happy to say that in around 26 countries the Tibetans  in-exile are franchising their votes... the total number of the voters are  83079. We do have two kinds of elections one is for the presidential election of the Central Tibetan Administration and the second one is parliamentary. There are two nominees for president post  and Tibetans are also voting to choose members for 45 parliamentary seats. We are going to declare the results on 14th of May."

As per the election schedule, the new parliament will be constituted on May 30, 2021.