CNI News

1 April 2024

Although the Arakan National Party has applied to be registered as a political party for one year, it has not been registered reportedly. The ANP re-applied to be registered as a political party to the Union Election Commission (UEC) in fourth week of March, 2023. 

The party had not been registered because the authorities had an intention, U Thar Tun Hla, chairman of the ANP, told CNI News.

" We have applied for one year in March this year. We have not been registered because they have an intention. We have not been registered since before the battles broke out in Rakhine State. We review it is because they have an intention." he said.

While Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing was meeting with political parties

The UEC released laws and bylaws relating to political parties registration on 31st January 2023 and political parties must apply to be registered within 60 days.

Among the political parties that applied to be registered, 40 parties have been registered. However, some political parties including the National League for Democracy party (NLD) and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy party (SNLD) did not apply to be registered.

Their party applied for registration in order to politically solve the grievances of the public, but they didn't know why the ANP was not registered, U Tun Aung Kyaw, member of the Policy Steering Committee of the ANP, told CNI News.

While seeing Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing

" The ANP is the party that received the most public support. We carried out in accordance with the law. Our party was formed with a view to that we'll carry out to meet the need of the public. We pointed out politically the need and grievances of the public. We have firmly believed up to now that we'll carry out politically in accordance with the law. We applied for registration in accordance with the law. The UEC will know why it hasn't registered our party." he said.
In the same way, the Mon Unity Party has not been registered by the UEC reportedly. The census-taking would be conducted in 2024 after which a general election would be held and then the State power would be handed over to the winning party, said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administration Council.