Dharamshala — The Central Election Commission of the Central Tibetan Administration held a press conference on December 23, 2025, and announced that a total of 91,042 voters have registered for the 2026 election of the Sikyong and the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. This includes 56,749 registrations from India, Nepal and Bhutan, and 34,293 registrations from abroad. The primary election will be held on February 1, 2026 and the final elections on April 26, 2026, worldwide.
Chief Election Commissioner Lobsang Yeshi, Additional Election Commissioner Tsering Youdon and Additional Election Commissioner Nangsa Choedon of Election Commission held a press conference to provide an update on voter registration, election awareness programmes, and election rules and regulations at the Lhakpa Tsering Hall, Department of Information and International Relations, CTA, Gangkyi, Dharamshala, on December 23, 2025.
The Election Commission announced its decision to revoke the voting rights and candidacy of Sikyong candidate Tashi Topgyal for five years, for violating the Charter of Tibetans in Exile and the Election Commission's electoral rules and regulations.
Chief Election Commissioner Lobsang Yeshi stated that they visited 56 places in India and 11 abroad, held 100 meetings with the public and members of the local electoral commission to raise awareness of electoral rules and regulations and answer questions from the general public between October 14 and December 8, 2025. He also announced that a total of 91,042 voters have registered for the 2026 election of the Sikyong and the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. This includes 56,749 registrations from India, Nepal and Bhutan, and 34,293 registrations from abroad.
Then Additional Election Commissioner Tsering Youdon read out eight additional guidelines for Local Election Commissioners and election officers, as well as the responsibilities that the general public.
Additional Election Commissioner Nangsa Choedon read out the Election Commission’s decision to revoke the voting rights and candidacy of 2025–26 Sikyong candidate Tashi Topgyal, for violations of the regulations stipulated in the Charter of Tibetans in Exile and the Election Commission’s electoral rules and regulations.
A total of 83,080 voters were registered in 2020–2021 for the Sikyong and Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile elections, and 6,3000 of them cast their votes.
