DHARAMSALA: June 4, 1996 (DIIR) The newly elected members of the 12th Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies (ATPD), the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, took their oath of office 31 May. In the afternoon, deputies re-elected Professor Samdong Rinpoche unopposed as the Chairman of the 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 first session of the ATPD began on 2 June when the Charter was amended to increase the number of Kalons (Cabinet Ministers) to eight. In the morning of the following day, ie 3 June, the following eight were elected by the deputies as Kalons:
Name No. votes
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1. Mr. Tashi Wangdi, present Kalon for Info. & Int'l Rel. and Health 40
2. Mrs. Rinchen Khando Choegyal, present Kalon for Education 33
3. Mr. Sonam Topgyal, present Chairman of the Kashag 30
4. Mr. Do-nga Tenzin, present Auditor General of the Exile Govt. 30
5. Mr. Kalsang Yeshe, present Kalon for Culture and Religion 26
6. Mr. Soepa Gyatso, a Domed (Amdo) member of ATPD 24
7. Ven. Alag Tsayi Tenzin Palbar, a former political prisoner in Tibet 22
8. Mrs. Yangkyi Dashi, former Secretary of Dept. of Education 19
Soepa Gyatso's election as Kalon would mean that Dhugkar Tsering will now be a Domed member of the ATPD. Earlier, the resignation of one of the Dotoe Deputies, Miss Pema Dolma, led to Mr. Lingtsang Tsedor becoming an ATPD member in her place.
According to a circular from the Election Commission, the new Kalon Tripa is Kalon Kelsang Yeshi.
The circular translates as follows: as stipulated in the Charter of the Tibetan Exiles, on 4 June 1996 elections were held for the post of Kalon Tripa and Kalon Kelsang Yeshi became the new Kalon Tripa by winning the most votes.
Election Commission
4 June 1996
