CNI News
26 June 2025
There are various opinions among military and political observers as to why it is possible that civil servants will be assigned to various levels of the Election Commission to oversee the upcoming elections in Myanmar.
The Union Election Commission Law, Section 14, was amended on June 19, 2025, to provide that every level of the election commission shall be formed by at least three persons, either public servants or individuals who are trusted and respected by the public.
Among these persons, one suitable person shall be appointed as the chairman, and the relevant election officer shall be appointed as the secretary.
It is difficult for civilians to participate in election commission branches because there are threats to sabotage the election. Therefore, preparations may be made to replace them with civil servants, the National Democratic Force (NDF) vice-chairman U Htet Aung Kyaw told CNI News.
While seeing the statement of the the Union Election Commission law amendment
" There are people who have said they will sabotage the electon without fail. Since the elders of the town, who are impartial, are worried about their safety, many of them don't serve in the Election Commission, so I think it will be a case of giving the responsibility to civil servants. The SAC has said that it will conduct a dignified election. Since it has said that, if the Election Commission is formed with civil servants, will the civil servants be safe? Will they have to worry about something? These are such things that can be considered. Whether the commission is made up of elders of towns or civil servants, we want to change the country as quickly as possible whoever wins the election. Compared to the military taking power, as a civilian administration is internationally accepted, we will agree and cooperate with holding elections in the country," he said.
The third amendment to the Union Election Commission Law has been enacted, SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing announced on June 19.
Tai Leng (Shanni) National Development Party Chairman U Sai Htay Aung told CNI that he believed that the amendment to the law that allows civil servants to be assigned as chairpersons of the election commission branches would not have much impact.
He added that assigning civil servants to the various commission branches would make the election more fair, as civil servants would lose their positions if they did wrongly.
While the election results were being announced
“The impact is not very big. If they do something wrong, they will be worried that the political parties will complain and they will lose their positions. They will do it properly. In our experience, in the 2020 election, the commission itself was completely on the side of the NLD party. We took photos and videos of the voting irregularities and then complained to the commission. The commission called a plenary meeting. When the political parties were called, we showed projectors. The commission asked, "Don't you know that taking photographies is not allowed at this voting place?" We have documented the irregularities on the other side. If this happens to civil servants who serve in the Election Commission, our political parties wto won't remain silent. If political parties complain, they may lose their positions. Therefore, I see that they won't do something wrong." he said.
The SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has said that Myanmar will hold elections in phases, in December 2025 and January 2026.
The state power would be transferred to the winning party. He wanted the election to be a dignified election and a dignified parliament to emerge, he said.
The ethnic armed groups, the National Unity Government (NUG), the People's Defense Forces (PDF), and the Local People's Defense Forces (LPDF), have announced that they will completely disrupt the elections to be held by the SAC.
