Nay Pyi Taw, February (11)
The junta-established Union Election Commission (UEC) is making preparations to implement an electronic voting system in the upcoming general election of the military council.
According to the military-backed newspaper, members of the junta’s Union Election Commission (UEC) briefed military leader Min Aung Hlaing on the preparations for testing the electronic voting system on February 9.
A member of the junta UEC explained the control unit, balloting unit-main, extension, verification unit, the ballot box and batteries, the machines and their intended uses in relation to the preparation of the Myanmar Electronic Voting Machine (MEVM) test.
According to U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst, the public, who do not believe in elections, will not accept the military council’s electronic voting system as there will be many opportunities for vote fraud.
The military leader has repeatedly said in his speeches on New Year, Independence Day and at several meetings in recent years that he will hold a free and fair general election in a multi-party democracy system and hand over power to the winning party in 2023.
At the National Defense and Security Council meeting held on January 31, the military leader said that the election will be held in 50% or more of the constituencies of each region and state.
On the other hand, the military leader admitted at the meeting that there is a need for effective security in 132 townships, which is 40 percent of the country’s total.
U Myo Kyaw, the General Secretary of the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), told Than Lwin Times that the situation will not change even if an election is held, as the people have proven with a silent strike on the 2nd anniversary of the coup that a military dictator cannot rule the public.
Political analysts pointed out that the declaration of martial law in 37 townships in eight regions and states on February 2 was a tightening of security to ensure military control of the election.
The military council enacted the Political Parties Registration Law on January 26, which stipulates that a party that will organize in the whole country must have 100,000 members and Ks 100 million in funds, and that party offices must be opened in 165 townships within 180 days of party registration.
Until now, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the Myanmar People’s Democratic Party have applied for party registration, according to a statement of the junta-controlled Union Election Commission.
According to Section 25 of the Political Parties Registration Law, existing political parties must register with the commission within 60 days of the party law being enacted, or they will automatically become void as political parties.
News-Than Lwin Times