Penpa Tsering officially declared winner of 2021 Sikyong election

DHARAMSALA 14 May: The Tibetan Election Commission (EC) today announced the official result of the final Tibetan election for Sikyong (President) of the Central Tibetan Administration(CTA) and members of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-exile (TPIE).

Wangdu Tsering Pesur,  the Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) of the CTA spoke highly of the increase in the voter turnout in the final election held on 3 January 2021. 

 A total of 83,080 exiled Tibetans spread across 26 countries have registered to vote in the final elections to choose the future Sikyong or political leader of the Tibetan people and members of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-exile today.

Out of the lot,  63,991 Tibetans have exercised their right to vote in the final Sikyong election, putting the voter turnout at 77.02% that far exceeded the 65.67% voter turnout recorded in 2016. A total of 604 votes were disqualified.

The final election for the Sikyong office was contested between the former Speaker of the Tibetan parliament Penpa Tsering and Kelsang Dorjee Aukatsang. 

The EC officially declared Penpa Tsering as the winner as he surpassed Kaydor with 5,417.

The former Speaker has secured 34,324 votes while Kaydor has secured 28,907 votes. The result for the 16th TPIE has thrown up 18 new faces.

It is only the third time that exiled Tibetans are directly choosing their political leader since the devolution of political authority by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2011.

The Tibetan parliament consists of 45 members: ten members each from U-Tsang, Do-tod and Do-med, the three traditional provinces of Tibet, two members each from the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and the traditional Bon faith, two members each from Europe and North America and a member representing Tibetans in Asia and Australasia (excluding India, Nepal and Bhutan).

Following are the official results of the final election:

Sikyong result

Penpa Tsering:        34,324 votes

Kelsang Dorjee Aukatsang:          28,907votes

Member of Parliament results:

U-Tsang

1 Dolma Tsering (14,748 votes)

2 Dawa Phunkyi   (14,402 votes)

3 Migyur Dorjee (10,867 votes)

4 Ngodup Dorjee     (10,7708 votes)

5 Lobsang Gyatso Sithar  (10,486 votes)

6 Tsering Yangchen  (10,395 votes)

7 Dhondup Tashi    (10,108votes)

8 Rinzin Lhundup     (10,011 votes)

9 Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar   (8,047 votes)

10 Dawa Tsering    (7,793votes)

Dotoe

1 Dorjee Tsetan  (8,842 votes)

2 Aukatsang Youdon (8180 votes)

3 Juchen Kunchok Choedon (6186 votes)

4 Tenzin Jigdal   (6032votes)

5 Serta Tsultrim (5748 votes)

6 Choephel Thupten (5719 votes)

7 Tsering Dolma (5744 votes)

8 Gyaldhing Phurbu Dorjee (4952 votes)

9 Kunchok Yarphel (4704 votes)

10 Wangdue Dorjee (4593 votes)

Domey

1 Pema Tso    (1,717 votes)

2 Dhondup Tashi      (1,451 votes)

3 Tsering Lhamo       (1,439 votes)

4 Tashi Dhondup           (1,296 votes)

5 Ratsa Sonam Norbu          (1,214 votes)

6 Karma Gelek     (1,211 votes)

7 Yeshi Dolma         (1,194 votes)

8 Lobsang Thupten (1091 votes)

9 Geshe Gangri       (1,082 votes)

10 Choedak Gyatso     (1017votes)

Nyingma

1 Khenpo Sonam Tenphel            (637 votes)

2 Khenpo Jamphel Tenzin            (505 votes)

Kagyu

1 Kunga Sotop                          (364 votes)

2 Tenpa Yarphel                        (316 votes)

Sakya

1 Lophon Thupten Gyaltsen          (276 votes)

2 Khenpo khatak Ngodup Sonam             (224 votes)

Gelug

1 Gowo Lobsang Phendey       (3726 votes)

2 Atuk Tsetan   (3369 votes)

Bon

1 Geshe Adhong Rinzin Gyaltsen (119 votes)

2 Geshe Monlam Tharchin       (118 votes)

North America

1 Tenzin Jigme                  (6,152 votes)

2 Dhondup Tsering            (5,419 votes)

Europe

1 Thupten Wangchen                    (4,944 votes)

2 Thupten Gyatso                           (2,884votes)

Australasia

Doring Tenzin Phuntsok                      (739 votes)

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