Judiciary: The Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission

His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people, has often guided the Tibetans onto the path of modern, democratic system in order to ensure their short-and long-term benefit and happiness. Accordingly as enshrined in the Charter for the Tibetans in exile passed by the 11th Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies (now referred to as the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile), the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary-the three pillars of the democratic government of Tibetan exiles founded on the marriage of the spiritual and political values-were instituted with the separation of equal powers among them.

Judiciary is one of the most important organs of a democratic institution. Whenever an issue of contention arises in the course of the Executive's implementation of any law enacted by the Legislature, the Judiciary-which is independent of both the Executive and the Legislature-interprets, or makes decisions thereof; thus protecting the rule of law by guaranteeing justice to all and making the whole of the institution of democracy vibrant and meaningful.

The Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission, the highest judicial organ of the Tibetan community in exile, was formally inaugurated, or established, on 11 March 1992 (the seventh day of the first month of the Tibetan Water-Monkey year, 2119) in Gangchen Kyishong, the headquarter of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. Since then, it has been performing its responsibilities.