NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar — Leaders of three political parties have formally petitioned Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, alleging a lack of transparency and systemic flaws in the early voting process during the initial phase of the general election.
U Sai Aik Pao, chairman of the Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), and U Kyaw Swar Soe, chairman of the Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party, confirmed they submitted formal complaints on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, respectively. The People’s Party is also reported to have joined the petition.
The grievances focus on the Union Election Commission’s (UEC) failure to provide schedules for early vote collection, which prevented party observers from monitoring the process.
“The commission did not disclose when or where early voting would take place,” U Kyaw Swar Soe said. “Consequently, our observers were excluded, while only representatives from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) were permitted to monitor the collection.”
In Kengtung, eastern Shan State, SNDP Chairman U Sai Aik Pao reported that many voters were disenfranchised after their names disappeared from final rolls despite appearing on preliminary lists.
“The irregularities in early voting determined the outcome,” U Sai Aik Pao stated. “If these practices persist in the upcoming phases, the election cannot be considered free or fair.”
The party leaders intend to raise these concerns directly with the military chief during an Independence Day reception on Jan. 4. The petition calls for immediate reforms to prevent similar conduct in the second and third phases of the election scheduled for later this month.
The UEC has officially denied the allegations, maintaining that all early voting procedures were conducted in strict accordance with electoral laws.
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