Canberra, Australia: On 23 to 24 November 2025, the Chief Election Commissioner of the Central Tibetan Administration, Lobsang Yeshi, visited Canberra to conduct awareness programmes for Tibetan residents and regional election officers in preparation for the 2025–26 Sikyong and 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile elections.

On 23 November, in coordination with the regional election office, Chief Election Commissioner Lobsang Yeshi addressed members of the Tibetan community in Canberra. He spoke on several key topics, including the evolution of Tibetan democracy in exile; the importance of active participation in the upcoming general elections to ensure the stability and continuity of the Central Tibetan Administration; the need for Tibetans to maintain trust and confidence in the Central Tibetan Administration during this critical period of the struggle for Tibet’s just cause; and the constitutional duty of every Tibetan to fulfil their responsibilities. He also highlighted the significance of the Green Book as a symbol of Tibetan identity and emphasised the importance of timely contributions and registration on the electoral roll.

On 24 November, the Chief Election Commissioner convened a joint meeting with officers and the election observers of the local election office at the Australian Representative Office. During the session, he provided guidance on the conduct of election work in accordance with election regulations, stressing the principles of integrity, equality, freedom, and confidentiality, as well as the responsibility to uphold public trust.

Chief Election Commissioner Lobsang Yeshi outlined the key responsibilities of the local election office, including organising election activities in their respective jurisdictions, supervising and monitoring election procedures, verifying and determining candidate eligibility, investigating and resolving election-related disputes, and ensuring the proper counting of votes.

He also reminded participants of the confirmed dates for the preliminary and final elections, to be held on 1 February 2026 and 26 April 2026, respectively, and addressed questions from local communities.

The programme was attended by the Local Election Commissioner cum Representative of the Office of Tibet, Karma Singey, and the Secretary of the Central Election Commission, Lobsang Choedrak.

– Report filed by Election Commission, CTA