Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, April 7: In a ceremony held on Monday at the Sikyong Hall, Chief Justice Commissioner Yeshi Wangmo formally administered the oath of office to three key appointees of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), marking a significant development in the exile Tibetan government’s judicial and oversight institutions.
Former parliamentarian Dawa Phunkyi and former minister Phagpa Tsering were sworn in as the new Justice Commissioners of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission (TSJC), while Secretary Tashi Topgyal officially assumed the post of Auditor General of the CTA’s Audit Office.
These appointments, made during the 2025 budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) on March 29 through a secret ballot, aim to reinforce the judicial integrity and financial accountability of the CTA.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by senior CTA leadership, including Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang, and cabinet ministers Tharlam Dolma Changra, Dolma Gyari, and Norzin Dolma. Also present were Chief Election Commissioner Lobsang Yeshi, Public Service Commission member Tsultrim Dorjee, and members of the TPiE Standing Committee, along with Secretaries and senior staff from various CTA departments.
Dawa Phunkyi began his career at Delek Hospital as a Health Coordinator, later serving as Project Officer in the Department of Health, CTA. He rose through the ranks to become Secretary and later Chief Administrator of Delek Hospital. A seasoned parliamentarian, he has served in the 13th through 17th Tibetan Parliaments representing the U-Tsang province and currently remains Chief Administrator of Delek Hospital. He is also a board member of several organisations and an advisor to the U-Tsang Cholkha Association.
Phagpa Tsering joined the CTA in 1993 and served for over two decades at the Department of Security, steadily rising through the ranks. He was appointed Secretary of the Department in 2014 and later served as the Minister of Security during the 15th Kashag. He has also held a research position at the Tibet Policy Institute, contributing to analysis of the situation inside Tibet.
Tashi Topgyal began his service in the CTA in 1996 at the Office of the Auditor General and has held various key positions, including Joint Secretary and Acting Secretary. He also served briefly in the Office of Tibet in Taipei and the Department of Education, before returning to the Audit Office as Secretary in 2018. His career spans over two decades in financial oversight and administration within the CTA.
