Tibetans in exile gearing up for Presidential and Parliamentary Election

- August 03, 2020

The world’s most successful refugee organisation will soon hit the road for elections to the 16th Kashag (Cabinet) and 17^th Droetsok (Parliament). The appointment of two additional election commissioners Geshema (Ph.D) Delek Wangmo and former MP Sonam Gyaltsen hinted at the soon-to-be beginning of an exile's largest election. Two additional commissioners will be assisting the Chief Election Commissioner Wangdue Tsering in the 2020-2021 election. Election Commission is the CTA’s autonomous body that is entrusted with the responsibility of holding the exile’s election under the CTA's jurisdiction.

According to reports from Central Tibetan Administration and other exile- based media, the two additional election commissioners have taken oath of office from the Chief Justice Commissioner after being elected unanimously by the standing committee of the Tibetan Parliament in exile, who meets in the absence of the parliamentary session. Amongst the attendees to the oath taking ceremony are Sikyong (President) Dr Lobsang Sangay, Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Deputy Speaker, Justice Commissioners, Kalons (Ministers), heads of the Autonomous bodies and members, and secretaries of CTA. Meanwhile, for the electorate of Australiasia, the Chief Representative of the Tibetan Information Office, Lhakpa Tsokho shall be the chief regional election commissioner.

Regional Chief Election Commissioner for Australiasia, Lhakpa Tsokho

The term of present Sikyong (President) and Parliament (ATPD) ends in mid May and elections for both the post filled by then. According to the Charter of CTA, the adult franchise is set at over 18 years of age, the age qualification for standing in the election for Parliament is 25, while for President it has been set over 35 years of age.

The Charter describes Tibetan democracy as 'party-less democracy' and recently even banned for the first time exile-based Tibetan NGOs and community associations from endorsing any candidate in the recent amendment to the election rules and regulations.

The CTA conducts two rounds of election for both the post of President (Sikyong) and Parliament with an amendment to the post of president where if any candidate secures more than 60% in the primary, he/she is declared elected without requiring to face second round or run-off. The election process is quite similar to Mongolia, Brazil and France with slight difference.

The Tibetan refugees are highly systematised and organised organisation. It conducted similar election from Dharamsala headquarter in 2015-2016 that had voters from over 23 countries including North America, Europe, India, Nepal and Australia. This year Tibetans in over more than 25 countries around the world will take part in the electoral process. Nearly 70,000-90,000 people could qualify by age to exercise adult franchise out of approximately total population of 150,000 Tibetans in exile diaspora.

The biggest victory of Tibetans over Chinese Communist government is the introduction of democracy in exile to which Tibetans call a 'blessing from His Holiness'. While 1.4 billion Chinese couldn't partake in democracy with more than 5 million Tibetans remaining without political rights and adult franchise to exercise in de facto, Tibetans in exile have been exercising their democratic political rights for over 60 decades cutting across more than dozen countries around the world to elect a leader to be running the exile organisation from the small hill of Dharamsala. His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama is considered the father of Tibetan democracy who gifted the political power to his people despite returning the authority back several times. September 2 is celebrated as the Tibetan Democracy Day all over the world.