Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Oct 7: The Central Election Commission of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has officially announced the schedule for the 2025–26 elections of the Sikyong (president) and the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile during a press conference held at Lhakpa Tsering Hall, Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamshala, on Tuesday.
The Commission stated that the preliminary election will be held on February 1, 2026, while the final election is scheduled for April 26, 2026, with the results of both presidential and parliamentary seats to be declared on May 13, 2026.
The commission emphasised its commitment to ensuring the elections are conducted in a “free, fair, inclusive, and peaceful” manner, calling on the Tibetan public in exile to actively participate. The upcoming elections will be held under the slogan “I AM TIBET, I VOTE FOR TIBET”, symbolising unity and collective responsibility.
Voter registration for the 2025–26 elections begins on October 8, 2025, and will close on November 8, 2025. Eligible voters must be at least 18 years old by November 23, 2025, and must have paid their Green Book dues up to March 31, 2026, to participate. The Commission urged Tibetans worldwide to ensure their names appear on the updated rolls.
In the last general election held in 2021 across the Tibetan diaspora in 23 countries, a total of 83,080 voters registered. Of these, 63,991 Tibetans cast their votes, marking a record turnout of 77.02 per cent.
The Chief Election Commissioner also stated that voters can cast their ballots at their current place of residence without needing to travel to their base polling stations. He stated that voters can contact their local election commission, who will provide guidance on registration, polling stations, and other election-related queries.
The Commission reiterated that the top two Sikyong candidates from the preliminary round will advance to the final election. Candidates and supporters have been instructed to strictly follow the Election Code of Conduct, which prohibits the use of the Dalai Lama’s image, the Tibetan flag, CTA emblem, or map of Tibet in campaigns, personal attacks, bribery, endorsements from NGOs or associations, campaigning in schools, and activities during the two days before voting, while all campaign materials must display the publisher’s name and address and be reported to the Regional Election Commissions, with violations subject to penalties under Article 25 of the Election Rules and Regulations.
The Commission also highlighted the misuse of social media as a growing challenge, urging responsible communication to prevent the spread of disinformation.
