Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, May 23: Kunchok Migmar has been re-elected as the Tibetan Settlement Officer (TSO) of Dharamshala following a decisive victory in preliminary elections held on May 20, 2025.
The incumbent TSO secured 936 votes in what officials described as the most competitive election in Dharamshala’s settlement history, facing five other candidates in the preliminary round. The field included former TSO Tsering Phuntsok, Tsering Yangzom, Jangchup Rinchen, Tashi Chophel, and Thinley Jampa.
Following the announcement of related results by the Dharamshala Local Election Office on Wednesday, the following day Dharamshala Local Election Office issued a related announcement stating that according to Article 8, Section 3 of the Tibetan Exile Election Rules, “Excluding complaints filed regarding announcements made by the Local Election Office, if there are two candidates with the highest votes, a final vote must be cast through runoff elections. If there is only one candidate who has received support of no less than 51% of the total preliminary votes cast, they shall be recognized and announced as the unopposed local administrator.” According to this provision, since there was only one candidate for local administrator in this area, Konchok Migmar was re-elected as Dharamshala local administrator.
Voting took place across 13 polling stations throughout the settlement, including Thekchen Choling Monastery, Gangkyi, Men-Tsee-Khang, Central Tibetan Administration, TIPA, Norling Tibetan Cultural Preservation Centre etc.
The Dharamshala Local Election Office processed results according to established procedures, with officials noting this marked the largest candidate field in the settlement’s electoral history.
Dharamshala represents one of only two Tibetan exile settlements where local administrators are chosen through direct elections rather than Central Tibetan Administration appointments. The other democratically elected position is the administrator of Ladakh Sonamling Tibetan settlement.
This electoral tradition distinguishes these communities within the broader structure of Tibetan exile governance, where most settlement administrators receive direct appointments from the CTA.
Migmar will serve a standard three-year term as settlement officer, continuing his administrative oversight of one of the most prominent Tibetan exile communiy.
