DHARAMSALA, 7 Oct: The Tibetan Election Commission on Tuesday announced the schedule for elections to the 18th Parliament-in-Exile and the post of Sikyong, or head of the cabinet.
The elections will be conducted in two phases – the preliminary round will be held on 1 February, 2026 and the final round on 26 April.
Tibetans living in exile across the world will nominate their preferred candidates during the preliminary phase, and the top two candidates will advance to the final round for the post of Sikyong, in accordance with Article 67(4) of the Tibetan Election Rules and Regulations.
Addressing mediapersons here, Chief Election Commissioner Lobsang Yeshi, along with Additional Election Commissioners Nangsa Choedon and Tsering Youdon said that the voter registration will open on 8 October, 2025 and close on 8 November.
All Tibetans who have attained the age of 18 years on or before 23 November this year would be eligible to register as voters.
The election commission released the model code of conduct and provided key details regarding the electoral process.
It also unveiled the official slogan for the 2025-26 elections – ‘I am Tibet, I vote for Tibet’. The slogan symbolises unity, responsibility and the collective strength of the Tibetan people, it said.
The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile will consist of 45 members. It will have 10 members each (including at least two women) from the three provinces of Tibet and two members each from the five religious traditions – Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, Gelug and Bon.
To ensure smooth conduct of the elections, the commission will organise training sessions for regional election commissioners on 16 November this year.
The chief and additional election commissioners will also visit Tibetan settlements worldwide to familiarise voters with the electoral guidelines and procedures.
Recalling the successful completion of the 2020-21 Sikyong and parliamentary elections despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the election commission expressed confidence in once again conducting a free, fair, inclusive and peaceful election. (PTI)
