Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 28: The Central Tibetan Administration’s Election Commission on Wednesday announced the revocation of electoral rights of retired physician Dr. Ngawang Lodoe, also known as Dr. Tara, and the issuance of official warnings to Nechung monastery’s Secretary Dorjee and Sikyong candidate Kalsang Dorjee Aukatsang for separate violations of election-related regulations.
The press conference held at Lhakpa Tsering Hall at Gankyi compound was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Lobsang Yeshi, along with Additional Election Commissioners Nangsa Choedon and Tsering Youdon.
The Commission stated that on November 2, 2025, Dr. Ngawang Lodoe, a resident of Bylakuppe, published content on his YouTube channel “Dr. Tara Tibet Medicine,” in which he made false and unsubstantiated allegations against 17th Tibetan Parliament member Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar on social media platforms. The EC determined that his actions violated Article 24 (Sections 3 and 11) and Article 25 (Sections 3 and 11) of the Election Commission Regulations. As a result, the Commission has revoked Dr. Ngawang’s right to hold elected office for a period of eight years, effective from January 28, 2026.
Addressing a separate issue, the EC said that on December 27, 2025, during the invocation of the State Oracle Nechung at Drepung Monastery, Nechung monastery’s Secretary Dorjee was interviewed by Tibet Radio on December 30 regarding the oracle’s pronouncements. While his initial explanations were deemed appropriate, the Commission noted that during the ongoing 2025–26 election period, additional political commentary made in the course of the interview exceeded permissible boundaries.
According to the EC, such remarks contributed to social discord and posed a risk of undermining the integrity of the election process. Consequently, Secretary Dorjee was issued a formal warning for violating Election Commission regulations and election-period guidelines.
The Commission also addressed remarks made by Sikyong candidate and former CTA Representative to the United States, Kalsang Dorjee Aukatsang. On November 21, 2025, during a press briefing announcing his candidacy for the 2026 Sikyong election in Dharamshala, Aukatsang made statements referring to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, saying, “No one can be like His Holiness the Dalai Lama. However, His Holiness, and all of us, are human beings and therefore not without imperfections. No matter how capable, knowledgeable, or experienced an individual may be, the ability of a single person cannot be compared to that of many people.”
The EC stated that the remarks had generated public criticism and debate and could potentially contravene the spirit and intent of the Charter of the Tibetans in Exile, particularly provisions related to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. On December 16, 2025, the Commission formally warned Aukatsang to exercise restraint and to ensure that such statements are not repeated in the future.
During the briefing, the Election Commission also provided updates on the scale of the upcoming elections for the two top political offices. The elections will be conducted across 27 countries, under the supervision of 87 local election offices, encompassing a total of 309 polling units. The process will involve 1,737 election officials, and preliminary polling will be carried out across 31 professional and trade-based sectors.
The apex election regulatory body of the Tibetan government in exile reiterated its commitment to conducting independent, impartial, and rules and regulations based elections.
