General elections for Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister) of the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetangovernment in exile) and members of the organization's Parliament were held on July 29, 2001 and were the first time the office of Prime Minister was up to democratic election for the Tibetans, as it was traditionally appointed by the Dalai Lama under the Parliament's ratification. The election of Kalon Tripa was part of a series of reforms encouraged by the Dalai Lama for the democratization of the exile Tibetan community.[1]Lobsang Tenzin, the 5th Samdhong Rinpoche won the election with more than 80% of the votes.[2]
As is traditional in this process, preliminary or sometimes called primary elections were held months before, on May 12, 2001 with the following results:
