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Two additional Election Commissioners elected

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Geshema Delek Wangmo (L) and Mr. Sonam Gyaltsen (R), newly elected additional election commissioners (Photo courtesy TPiE)
Geshema Delek Wangmo (L) and Mr. Sonam Gyaltsen (R), newly elected additional election commissioners (Photo courtesy TPiE)

By Tenzin Dharpo

DHARAMSHALA, July 28: With the 2021 Tibetan general election on the horizon, two additional Election Commissioners have been elected to oversee election proceedings, on Tuesday by the standing Committee of the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE).

Geshema Delek Wangmo, teacher of Dolmaling Nunnery and Mr. Sonam Gyaltsen, former Tibetan Parliamentarian and senior Professor of College for Higher Tibetan Studies (Sarah were unanimously elected as Additional Election Commissioners of the Central Election Commission of the CTA at 3:20 pm on 28 July 2020. Geshema Delek Wangmo is the first nun to serve as a Commissioner for the EC.

As per the Article 97 sub clause (a) of clause (2) of the Charter of Tibetans in Exile, prior to the Sikyong (President) and the Tibetan Parliament (Chithue) elections, two additional Election Commissioners are elected and they will serve for the “period from the announcement of the start of the election process until the declaration of the final voting results”.

As per to the enshrined Article, The Chief Justice Commissioner of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament, and the Sikyong shall together constitute an “ad hoc nomination committee” who draws up a list of candidates that is “at least twice the number of posts to be filled”.

Traditionally the TPiE votes on the submitted list to elect two Election Commissioners but since the house is not in session, the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Parliament voted to select two candidates who qualify for the post of Additional Election Commissioner, after securing two-thirds of the votes, as prescribed by the Charter of Tibetans in Exile.

The other candidates in the list submitted by the current ad hoc Nomination Committee, are Mr. Tenzin Dhonyoe, member of Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) and Dr. Choelo Thar of Men-Tse-Khang.

The tenure of the present cabinet led by Dr. Lobsang Sangay, which served for two consecutive terms, and the members of the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile will conclude in May 2021.

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