Phase 1 of Sikyong election: Tibetans in exile brave the chill to cast their vote in Dharamshala

The second round of elections will be held on April 11.

Tibetans living in exile here braved the chill to cast their vote on Sunday in the first round of elections to elect the next president or Sikyong and members of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-exile.

The voters wore masks, maintained social distance and used hand sanitisers as they cast their ballots. (HT photo)

More than 80,000 Tibetan voters settled across the globe will decide the fate of eight candidates in the fray for Sikyong’s post and 150 contestants vying for 45 seats of Members of Parliament.

The voters wore masks, maintained social distance and used hand sanitisers as they cast their ballots.

The second round of elections will be held on April 11. Tibetan elections hold relevance as these come amid the height of Indo-China tension.

Speaking to media persons after exercising his franchise, incumbent Sikyong Lobsang Sangay said: “In spite of the pandemic, Tibetans are taking part in the elections. So, this is a momentous and historical event because even though we are in exile, we are exercising a fundamental right whereby we are walking shoulder to shoulder with other democratic countries around the world and that’s a gift the Dalai Lama has bestowed on us.”

The contenders include the representative of the Dalai Lama in Delhi and former CTA home minister Kasur Dongchung Ngodup; former representative of Dalai Lama to North America Kelsang Dorjee Aukatsang, former speaker of the parliament-in-exile Penpa Tsering and incumbent deputy speaker Acharya Yeshi Phuntosok.

Nearly 150 candidates are contesting for 45 seats of the parliament - 10 from all traditional provinces of Tibet; two from each of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and the pre-Buddhist Bon religion. In addition, two representatives each are elected from Tibetan communities located in North America and Europe; one from Australia and Asia- which exclude India, Nepal and Bhutan.

The results of the first phase will be declared on February 8 while the final results of the election will be declared in mid-May.