DHARAMSHALA: Newly-appointed Justice Commissioner Ngawang Choedak Choetri Tengpa took the oath of office from Chief Justice Commissioner Ngawang Phelgyal Gyechen at a ceremony held today at the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission.

The ceremony was attended by Justice Commissioner Tsering Dhondup, Speaker Penpa Tsering,  Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, members of the Kashag, members of the Tibetan Parliament and other senior officials and secretaries of the Central Tibetan Administration.

Mr Ngawang Choedak, formerly the secretary of Department of Religion and Culture, was appointed as the new Justice Commissioner of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission on 21 September 2013. He polled 21 votes against 16 for Mr Kargyu Dhondup, the auditor general of the Central Tibetan Administration, in a voting held in the Tibetan Parliament.

The Chief Justice Commissioner and two Justice Commissioners of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission are appointed by the Tibetan Parliament in exile through election out of nominated candidates submitted by a selection committee. The selection committee is constituted by a committee of Chief Justice Commissioner, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Tibetan Parliament and Sikyong.

Mr Ngawang Choedak was born in the family of Lho Dokhar Choetri Tengpa in 1955. He came into exile to India in 1959 through Bhutan.

He joined the Central Tibetan Administration civil services in the year 1975. He served in various positions in Tibetan settlements and departments during his long and accomplished tenure as a civil servant.

He was promoted to the post of secretary in 2004. Since then, he has served as the secretary for the Department of Security, Secretary of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission and Secretary for the Department of Religion and Culture.