CNI News

28 March 2025

It was necessary to finish holding elections during January 2026, said chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC). He said the above in the SAC meeting on 25 March 2025.

During the two year period when the SAC had taken the state responsibility, although it had planned to hold elections, that period was the time shortly after the Covid-19 and unstable elections could not be held, said the SAC Chairman.

Because the census-taking has been conducted in 2024, the SAC has planned that elections will be held in the third week and fourth week of December, 2025, and in the first week and second week of January, 2026, said the SAC Chairman.

According to the election law, elections must be held in one day if possible on a public holiday. So, there is no set date for holding the election. In Myanmar's history, even during the parliamentary democracy era, due to internal armed conflicts, elections could not be held just one time. So, the SAC must carry out in order to finish holding elections successfully, he said.

Regarding the sessions of Pyidaungsu and Amyotha Hluttaws, provisions related to meeting quorum has been imposed in the constitution; because Region and State Hluttaws must elect and appoint chief ministers, it is important; as Electronic Voting Machine will be used, voters can vote in a short time and voting results can be achieved in a short time, said the SAC Chairman.

In any case, it was necessary to finish holding elections successfully during January 2026;  political parties are also allowed to run the elections in accordance with the law, he said.

Although the SAC had announced that elections would be held in August 2023, saying it was not a normal situation  because armed conflicts were widespread across the country, the state of emergency repeatedly was extended until today.

And then, elections will be held in December 2025 or January 2026, said the SAC Chairman Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing at a joint press conference with the Belarusian President Lukashenko on 7 March 2025.

On the other hand, armed groups trying to overthrow the SAC and the Myanmar Tatmadaw have announced that they will surely destroy the election led by the SAC.

Currently, battles are severely taking place in Myanmar's Shan State, Kayin State, Chin State, Rakhine State, Mon State, Kayah State, Kachin State, Sagaing Region, Magway Region, Bago Region, Mandalay Region, and Tanintharyi Region.