12th Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies


The Tibetan Parliamary election for the 12th Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies took place on Thursday, 25 April 1996. The Tibetan electorate have elected ten members each from the three provinces of Tibet (U-Tsang, Amdo and Kham), two members each from the fours schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, the indigenous religion of Tibet. A further two members represent the Tibetans in Europe and one from America. His Holiness nominated three Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies.

The members of the 12th Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies (ATPD) took their oath of office in the forenoon of 31 May 1996. In the afternoon, Professor Samdong Rinpoche, the speaker of the previous parliament, was elected unopposed as the Chairman of the 12th Assembly. Mr. Thupten Lungrig, a direct nominee of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, was elected the Vice-Chairman by 27 votes of the 46-member Assembly.

The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the ATPD took their oath before His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 3 June 1996 at the Thekchen Choeling, Dharamsala.

The first session of the ATPD began on 2 June 1996 when the Charter was amended to increase the number of Kalons to eight. On 3 June 1996 eight Kalon (Ministers) were elected by the 46 members of the Parliament.

The Assmebly meets in March and September every year. The result of 12th Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies.


U-TSANG PROVINCE

S.NoCandidatesVotes
1Ngawang Lhamo16,577
2Tsering Norzom14,011
3Namgyal Wangdu11,280
4Dawa Tsering9,510
5Dongsur Ngawang Tenpa9,394
6Karma Choephel9,045
7Norbu Dhargye8,925
8Pema Tsewang8,537
9Thangsar Yonten Gyatso8,329
10Lobsang Shastri8,212


DO-TOE PROVINCE

S.NoCandidatesVotes
11Samdhong Rinpoche7,294
12Sonam Togyal5,717
13Tsultrim Tenzin5,377
14Andrug Choegkyi5,290
15Gyari Dolma5,258
16Lobsang Nyandrak5,139
17Nyisang5,082
18Pema Dolma5,019
19Pema Choejor4,839
20Chemi Youndon4,775

Miss Pema Dolma resigned and Mr. Lingtsang Tsedor (4722) became an ATPD member in her place.


DOMED PROVINCE

S.NoCandidatesVotes
21Tenzin Choedon 1,372
22Soepa Gyatso1,344
23Tenzin Khedup1,169
24Kirti Dolkar Lhamo1,168
25Pempa Tsering1,115
26Hortsang Jigme1,038
27Thupten Woser967
28Tsering Dolma736
29Kalden681
29Gombo Tso634

Since Mr Soepa Gyatso was elected as a Kalon and Dhugkar Tsering (613) became an ATPD member in his place.


RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS

SAKYA

S.NoCandidatesVotes
31Pema Jungne333
32Guru Gyaltsen317


NYINGMA

S.NoCandidatesVotes
33Tsering Phuntsok943
34Gyari Bhutuk721


KAGYU

S.NoCandidatesVotes
35Sherab Tharchin338
36Lodoe Tharchen 242


GELUG

S.NoCandidatesVotes
37Yonten Phuntsok2530
38Tashi Gyatlsen1779

BON

S.NoCandidatesVotes
39Jadhur Sangpo149
40Thokme120

EUROPE

EUROPE

S.NoCandidatesVotes
41 Mr. Ngawang Gangshontsang
42Dewatsang Thinley Chodon314

AMERICAS

S.NoCandidatesVotes
43Wangchuk Dorjee 507


NOMINIATED BY HIS HOLIENSS THE DALAI LAMA

S.NoNOMINEESFROM
45Rev. Yeshe TsetenCentral School for Tibetans, Dalhousie
45Mr. Ngawang JampaCentral School for Tibetans, Bylakuppe
46Mr. Thupten Lungrighead of Bir (Suja) SOS Tibetan Children's Village

Of the 71 exile Tibetan electorial districts, 65 took part. Though 55,435 Tibetans were registered as voters for the provincial seats, 33,018, constituting 59.56 percent of the total, actually went to the poll. For the religious seats the total number of registered voters was 10,983, as against 6,410, or 58.36 percent of the total, who actually voted. The total number of registered voters for the seat for the Americas was 1982, though only 792. or 39.96 percent, actually voted. For the European seats the number of registered voters was 1,253, and the actual number of those who voted was 482, or 38.47 percent of the total.

The overall number of registered voters had increased from 53,894 in 1991 to 69,653 for the 12 ATPD in 1996, registering an increase of 15,759 or 29.24 percent The number of those who actually voted also increased from 32,880 in 1991 to 40,702 in 1996, which means in increase of 7,822, or 23.79 percent.

All Tibetans above 18 years old are eligible to be registered as voters.

Voting could not take place in the very thinly Tibetan-populated areas and also where there was great difficulty of transport and communication. These are Tuting, Lumbini, Pondicherry and Calcutta in India. Also polls taken in Australia and the two Tibetan Settlements in Bhutan could not be taken up for counting as their ballot boxes did not reach the counting station at Dharamsala within the stipulated time.

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Last updated: 19-Jan-98