All you need to know about Tibetan parliament-in-exile election and its implications

It's a busy beginning of the New Year for the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, called the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), as it will hold the first round of the two-phase election on Sunday to elect the next Sikyong (President).

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All you need to know about Tibetan parliament-in-exile election and its implications
(Photo: Reuters)

It's a busy beginning of the New Year for the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, called the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), as it will hold the first round of the two-phase election on Sunday (January 3) to elect the next Sikyong (President).

Lobsang Sangay, a Harvard scholar, completes his second term as President of the CTA this year. The landmark achievement of Sangay's tenure remains the successful passage of the Tibet Policy and Support Act (TPSA) of 2020 in the United States despite China's protest; a decision that strengthened the American policy on Tibet and reaffirmed the government's support for the Dalai Lama and the CTA.

The TPSA makes it official the US policy that decisions regarding the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama are exclusively within the authority of the current Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhist leaders and the Tibetan people. Any interference by Chinese government officials will be met with serious sanctions and be deemed inadmissible into the US.

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With an aggressive China pushing the Indian boundaries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and wanting to appoint its own successor to the Dalai Lama, the role of the Tibetan Administration and its president becomes even more important. It is noteworthy that Lobsang Sangay was a special guest at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony in 2014.

There are around 1.3 lakh Tibetans living in exile in India and across the globe. With the first round of elections for the Central Tibetan Administration scheduled this Sunday, the preparations are in full swing. The result of the first round will be declared on February 8.

The second and final round is expected to be held on April 11. The Tibetan government-in-exile will elect its head on May 14, 2021.

The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) headquarters is situated in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh.


According to the Green Book of the Tibetan government-in-exile, there are around one lakh Tibetans residing in India while the rest are in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Mongolia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, Tenzin Lekshay, the director of Tibet Policy Institute, said, "Like in any democratic state, election is considered one of most fundamental rights and duty of an individual. Even for the Tibetans in exile, election is significant, and it asserts people's mandate for the leadership and vision for the cause of Tibet. Particularly in 2021 election, people are longing for the candidate who can lead the cause progressively."

The TPiE electoral system

As of December 22, a total of 79,697 voters across the world have registered to vote in the elections. Of this, 55,683 voters reside in India. The deadline to register was extended until December 28 and hence there could have been a few more registrations. The election will be held via the secret ballot system across locations.



The 16th TPiE had 45 elected members - where 10 representatives were from each of the three traditional provinces of Tibetan - U-Tsang, Dhotoe and Dhomey; two from each of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and the pre-Buddhist Bon religion; two from each of the Tibetan communities in North America and Europe; one each from Australasia and Asia which excludes India, Nepal and Bhutan. Two seats are reserved for women in the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile.

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The Sikyong or the President is directly elected by the Tibetan community based on a popular vote.


Until 2006, the TPiE was known as the Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies (ATPDs), headed by the chairman and vice-chairman. Now, the TPiE is headed by the Speaker and a deputy Speaker.

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) or the TPiE functions are based on 'The Charter of the Tibetans in Exile' or the Tibetan constitution. The Constitution Redrafting Committee was instituted by the Dalai Lama in 1991. This committee compiled the charter for Tibetans in exile approved by the Dalai Lama.

Until 2001, the Dalai Lama had the power to nominate three members per post of Kalon (Cabinet minister) and one of the three were eventually selected as a Cabinet minister by the Assembly. The head of the Central Tibetan Administration, or the Kalon Tripa, was elected from this list of selected Kalons.

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But, in 2001, owing to a series of changes to the 'The Charter of the Tibetans in Exile', this process was modified to facilitate a direct election of the Kalon Tripa by the Tibetans in exile. The democratically elected Kalon Tripa could then nominate the Kalons (Cabinet ministers) with subsequent approvals from the TPiE.



'The Charter of the Tibetans in Exile' saw more amendments in 2011, owing to further decentralisation of powers by the Dalai Lama leading to the transfer of political leadership in the hands of the Kalon Tripa (head of the TPiE).

The Kalon Tripa from thereon came to be known as the Sikyong or the President of the Central Tibetan Administration. This 2011 amendment basically ended a 369-year-old practice of the Dalai Lama choosing the representatives.

"The rule by kings and religious figures is outdated. We have to follow the trend of the free world which is that of democracy," remarked the Dalai Lama.

With regards to the pre-requisites of voting, any Tibetan above the age of 18 (as per the Tibetan Green Book) is eligible to vote following prior registration. The Green Book is a passport of sorts for the exiled Tibetans in order to be associated with the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

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It will also be a document that will enable Tibetans-in-exile to claim citizenship of a free Tibet. The book is obtained by paying a voluntary contribution to the CTA. Today, it is used for school admissions, university scholarships, and employment opportunities within the exiled community.



For Tibetans living outside the sub-continent, they will only be able to elect MPs based on their current geographic location. All voters will have a say in choosing the Sikyong (President) and not just the MPs.

The election will be split into two rounds. In the first round, unless a person secures 60 per cent of all the votes, the two top contenders will be chosen as the official candidates for the second round which will be held on April 11.

The TPiE is not officially recognised by any of the countries globally, including India. However, the USA and some of the EU nations deal directly with the TPiE Sikyong and leaders via various forums.



The democratic nature of the TPiE enables the body to manage and speak for the Tibetan affairs and help raise issues pertaining to Tibetans in platforms across the globe.

Election issues and campaigns

There are eight candidates considered as frontrunners vying for the post of Sikyong and many others running to be elected as members of the TPiE.

The candidates are:

  • Dongchung Ngodup, the Dalai Lama's representative from New Delhi
  • Penpa Tsering, former Speaker of TPiE and former envoy in Washington DC who also contested in 2016
  • Kelsang Dorjee Aukatsang (Kaydor), the Dalai Lama's representative to North America
  • Dolma Gyari, former Deputy Speaker
  • Acharya Yeshi, incumbent Deputy Speaker
  • Lobsang Nyandak, former minister based in New York
  • Tashi Wangdu, former CEO (Federation of Tibetan Cooperative Societies, Bangalore)
  • Tashi Topgyal, based in Shillong

Given the Covid pandemic situation, the candidates are heavily relying on social media platforms to reach out to the voters. Some candidates are also visiting the voters directly to campaign.


The campaign slogans range from unity, education and patriotism while there are some criticisms over a lack of discussions on critical issues like resumption of discourse between representatives of His Holiness Dalai Lama and the Chinese Communist Party and the overall Tibetan struggle against the Chinese excesses.
Some Tibetan journalists and experts also cry foul that the Lobsang Sangay government has failed to uphold free press system in exile.

Several young voters expressed their views to thetibetpost.com on what qualities they expect from the new Sikyong of the TPiE.

One person remarked: "Our president should not afford to rule in the same manner that other leaders of the countries do. We have to consider our own country's situation that is very different from other free nations. Everyone makes mistakes and if there are mistakes made, a Sikyong should have the confidence to apologise whenever it is due. The 2021 Sikyong should continue to oversee what Tibetans inside Tibet really need and not just mere lip services."

Tenzin Lekshay, the director of Tibet Policy Institute, said, "Role of the elected leader in executing and handling Tibet-related issues is supreme. After His Holiness the Dalai Lama devolved his political leadership in 2011, the power rested upon the elected Sikyong. People aspires the elected leader to take prudent steps in resolving the Tibet issues. So, it is very important for the elected leader to initiate means to call upon dialogue with the Chinese leadership."

The TPiE has seen a lot of improvement in its democratic structure ever since 1960, when the first ever election was held. Though it has no "political parties" competing against each other to gain maximum seats, the representatives competing from different provinces and sects contribute a lot to the ever-growing democratic structure of the TPiE.

The increasing role of the USA

Besides the global pandemic, 2020 has also seen heightened diplomatic tensions between the USA and China. As part of the continuing pressure on China, the US Congress passed a bill to step up support to Tibetans.

The Tibetan Policy and Support Act (TPSA) was passed by both houses of Congress as an amendment to the $1.4 trillion government spending bill and the $900 billion Covid-19 relief package. This Act will result in economic and visa sanctions on any of the Chinese officials who interfere with the succession of the Dalai Lama.
Not only that, but the Act will also require Beijing to allow the opening of an US consulate in Lhasa, before any new Chinese consulate can be opened in the US.

On asked if this is a positive step ahead, Tenzin Lekshay, the director of Tibet Policy Institute, remarked: "The United States appreciates the democratic institutions of the Tibetans in exile. You can clearly see from the recently adopted Tibet Policy and Support Act. The USA helps in nurturing the principles of democratic institutions for the Tibetans in exile through different means."

Other special provisions in the Act pertaining to Tibet point to the approval of US $1 million per annum for the Special US Coordinator on Tibet, US $675,000 towards scholarship provisions, US $575,000 for scholar exchange initiatives, US $8 million for the Tibetan Autonomous Regio and Communities in China, US $6 million for Tibetans living in India, over US $3.4 million and $4 million respectively for Voice of America's and Radio Free Asia's reporting on Tibet and Tibetans and US $3 million for Tibetan governance.

US President Donald Trump (Photo: AFP)

The Act also expresses grave concerns over the exploitation of Tibet's natural resources, especially water resources. New laws in the Act seek to organise joint efforts with Chinese institutions, the Chinese Communist Party and other international agencies to monitor the glacial retreats, rise in temperature, carbon levels, and other global warming effects in the Tibetan plateau.

This is principally noteworthy considering rivers like the Indus and Brahmaputra originate in Tibet and given China has been building dams in the region and may use the same to change the course of the water flow of the Brahmaputra in the future. This is expected to majorly impact India's northeast regions as well as Bangladesh.



Another aspect of the Bill is a point that encourages American citizens and companies engaged in business activities in Tibet to practice corporate social responsibility and to adhere to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
It is important to note that recently many top American and international companies were called out for having their factories located in Xinjiang where Uyghurs were being exploited.
Lobsang Sangay, the President of TPiE, was ecstatic by this recent development. He termed this as a "momentous landmark for the Tibetan people."


Sangay was recently invited to the White House for a meeting with Robert Destro (US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues) to discuss issues pertaining to TPiE, the elections and the way forward.



It will not be an understatement to say that the US pushed the Tibetan resistance movement under the bus decades ago. Fast forward to 2020-2021 and the relationship has come a full circle.

Tibet is a key fulcrum of today's Cold War politics between the USA and China.

Asked about China's outlook on this election, Tenzin said, "China is vigilant of the Tibetan election and are certainly not happy with the progress of Tibetans in exile. However, China must understand that it should restart the dialogue with the Tibetan elected leader for resolving the Tibet issue. There are no other options for them to resolve it and they know it."

As a nation that offers so much to the TPiE and the Tibetans, India has not really played the Tibet card as strongly with China as some would hope.

Critics opine that India should rethink its Tibet policy and support the Dalai Lama in matters pertaining to Tibetans and Tibet. India's approach is purely a matter of not escalating things beyond the already strained relationship with China in the current diplomatic climate.

(The writer is a Singapore-based Open-Source Intelligence analyst)