Tsering elected president of Tibetan govt in-exile

Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, May 14

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Penpa Tsering was elected president (Sikyong) of the Tibetan government in-exile in the elections, the results of which were declared by the Election Commission today. Election Commissioner Wangdu Tsering said that Penpa Tsering polled 34,324 votes and was elected Sikyong while his rival Kalsang Dorjee Aukatsang got 28,307 votes.

The final round of the elections for Sikyong and members of the 17th parliament-in-exile conducted worldwide in 23 countries on April 11 garnered the highest voter turnout in the history of the exiled Tibetan democracy. As many as 63,991 Tibetans voted, out of the 83,080 registered voters, hitting a voter turnout of 77.02 per cent, the highest ever, said Wangdu in a press briefing here.

Likewise, the results of the 45 members elected to the parliament comprising 10 members each from the three traditional provinces of Tibet; two each from five religious constituencies, two each from Tibetan communities in North America and Europe and one from the Tibetan community in Australasia (excluding India, Nepal and Bhutan) were announced.

Penpa Tsering had served as Executive Director at the Tibetan Parliamentary and Research Centre (TPPRC) in New Delhi from 2001-2008. He was elected to the 12th and 13th Tibetan parliament-in-exile and became the Speaker of the House of the 14th Tibetan parliament-in-exile in 2008. He was re-elected the following term.