DHARAMSHALA: The final round of election for the post of Sikyong (political leader) and members of the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile of the Central Tibetan Administration was held today, 20 March 2016.
Tibetan exiles across the world from the United States in the west to Taiwan and Japan in the Far East turned out in large numbers to cast their ballots and exercise their universal suffrage.
In Dharamshala, the capital of the Tibetan diaspora community, polling stations were set up at 10 different locations across the town including one at Gangchen Kyishong, the official seat of the Central Tibetan Administration.
So far, the final round of election took place peacefully without any reports of untoward incidents and malpractices.
The two final candidates vying for the post of Sikyong are incumbent Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay and Mr Penpa Tsering, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. Whereas, as many as 94 candidates are in the fray for the 45-seat Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile who represent the three traditional provinces of Tibet, the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon religion, and the Tibetan communities of North America, Europe and Australasia.
The local results of the election will be declared by the local election commission after thorough counting of the ballots within the next 48 hours. However, the consolidated result of the final election would be announced by the Central Election Commission based in Ganchen Kyishong.
The 2016 general election for Sikyong of the 15th Kashag and members of the 16th Tibetan Parliament is the second direct election of the Tibetan leadership since the complete devolution of political authority by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2011.
