The two-day special session marked the inaugural sitting of the newly elected Parliament following recent elections to the Tibetan democratic institutions in exile.
Under Article 22 of the Charter of the Tibetans-in-Exile, the Sikyong (President) of the CTA is empowered to nominate up to seven members to the Kashag after assuming office. The nominees must secure parliamentary approval either unanimously or through a secret ballot with the support of at least 50 per cent of the members.
During the session, Sikyong Penpa Tsering presented six nominees, all of whom were approved by the Parliament.
The approved ministers include Tsegyal Chukya Dranyi as Kashag Secretary; Palden Dhondup as Secretary of the Department of Home; Tsering Dhondup Gyangser as Secretary of the Department of Finance; Ugyen Tenzin, a former Tibetan Parliamentarian and former Dharamsala Bureau Chief of the Voice of America Tibetan Service; Kunga Tashi, currently serving as Tibetan Liaison Officer at the Office of Tibet in Washington, DC; and Pema Tso, a Tibetan Parliamentarian and Editor-in-Chief of Tibet Times.
Addressing mediapersons after the session, Penpa Tsering said the first sitting of a newly constituted Parliament is traditionally held over two days to administer the oath of office to elected members and secure approval for nominees to the Kashag.
He noted that while the Charter permits the nomination of up to seven ministers, he had chosen to nominate six candidates, all of whom received the endorsement of Parliament.
“This is the beginning of the new parliamentary term and I thank the members of Parliament for approving all the nominated candidates,” he said.
The 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile includes 18 newly elected members, many of them young representatives. Their induction is being viewed as a significant generational transition within the Tibetan democratic system and a step towards greater youth participation in the governance of the Tibetan exile community.
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