Professor Samdhong Rinpoche has won the final round of elections for Kalon Tripa for the second time, with a landslide majority of 90.72% of the total votes cast.

In a statement released earlier today, the chief election commissioner of the Central Tibetan Administration said “We are pleased to announce, that in accordance with Article 69 of the Tibetan Election Regulations, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche Lobsang Tenzin has been declared re-elected as Chairman of the Kashag (Cabinet) of the Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the second consecutive term.”

Of the total 32,205 votes cast in the final round of the election held on 3 June 2006, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche got 29,216 votes and Kalon Trisur Juchen Thubten Namgyal got 2,989 votes.

The counting was completed yesterday morning and the result was then presented to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The date for the oath-taking ceremony of the new Kalon Tripa will be set later.