Pempa Tsering and Aukatsang Kelsang Dorjee at top for Sikyong post 

Dharamshala: Tibetan Election Commission in Exile, declared the results of the preliminary round of election for the Sikyong and members of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Dharamshala on Monday.

The Chief Election Commission of Central Tibetan Administration CTA held a press conference upon Preliminary Election Results of Sikyong(President of CTA) and Members of Tibetan Parliament in Dharamshala today. The Chief Election Commissioner accompanied by two Additional Election Commissioners addresses the conference

Addressing the media persons here, the chief election commissioner, Wangdu Tsering says, "On behalf of the election commission we are very pleased to announce the preliminary results for the 2021 for Sikyong/  president as well as the 17th parliament in members Candidatures. In Sikyong candidates top most is Mr Pempa Tsering, the ex chairman of the Tibetan Parliament, he secured 24488 votes in preliminary round and the second one is Mr Aukatsang Kelsang Dorjee, ex secretary of social and resource development and he secured 14544 votes and the third one is madam Gayri Dolma, ex home kalon/ minister, she secured 13363 votes and 4th one is Mr Dhondup Ngodup and he secured 10200votes.

On 21st of March the election commission will officially announce the top two candidates for the final phase of election/ polling to be held on 11th of April 2021."

Wangdu further says, "As per rules and regulations we have to announce the top not less than 30 candidatures from the province side and 6 candidate from the Sikyong as well as 6 from the religion sects as well as the America and the Europe side and also the three candidates from the Australian region. So from now onwards until the 20th March we will prepare the next final round of elections and the final Candidatures will be announced on 21st of March." The Election Commission declared 30 shortlisted candidates each from the three traditional provinces of Tibet, 5 candidates each from four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon religion, 6 from North & South America, and Europe & Africa. 3 candidates are shortlisted from Australasia (excluding India, Nepal and Bhutan).

Sikyong is the head of the Central Tibetan Administration, a Tibetan exile organisation also known as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. The title was created in 2012. On April 26, 2017, an internal circular from Kashag announced that Sikyong would be rendered in English as 'President' of the Central Tibetan Administration.

The current Sikyong is Dr.Lobsang Sangay. The Sikyong (earlier known as Kalön Tripa ), is the head of the Kashag or Cabinet, part of the executive branch of the Central Tibetan Administration.

The first directly elected Kalön Tripa was Lobsang Tenzin, the Samdhong Rinpoche, who was elected August 20, 2001.
Before 2011, the Kalön Tripa position was subordinate to the 14th Dalai Lama who presided over the government in exile from its founding. In August of that year, Lobsang Sangay polled 55 per cent votes out of 49,189, defeating his nearest rival Tethong Tenzin Namgyal by 8,646 votes, becoming the second popularly elected Kalon Tripa. The Dalai Lama announced that his political authority would be transferred to Sangay while remaining as spiritual leader and figurehead of the CTA.

The first phase of the general election for the Tibetan parliament-in-exile was held on January 3 this year  to elect the next Sikyong (president) and members of parliament .

There are around 1.3 lakh Tibetans living in exile in India and across the globe. the results of this  first round of elections  are  declared on February 8.

The second and final round is scheduled to be held on April 11. The Tibetan government-in-exile will elect its head on May 14.