CNI News
19 September 2025

Since Myanmar’s Union Election Commission (UEC) has announced that the election will be held on December 28, within the 90-day period the Myanmar military may attempt to turn certain territories controlled by Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) into its own administrative areas, said Dr. Aye Maung, Chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP).

On September 14, the UEC announced that elections would not be held in a total of 121 constituencies, including seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw, Amyotha Hluttaw and regional or state Hluttaws.

Dr. Aye Maung told CNI News that after the power was handed over to the National Defense and Security Council for holding the election, the Tatmadaw (military) would move to establish its administrative territories in some EAO-controlled areas within those 90 days.

“The election date is set for December 28. So after the SAC hands power over to the National Defense and Security Council, that council delegates special authority to the Commander-in-Chief. Currently, 63 townships are under military administration, and authority has been handed to commanders of the commands. But that delegated power lasts only for 90 days, which will end on October 31. Among the constituencies where elections are to be held, since there are townships controlled by armed groups, within those 90 days the military intends to turn those townships into its administrative territories. In other words, they will try to secure them quickly or gradually, depending on the circumstances.”, he said.

The TNLA troops

At present, in the townships where elections are declared to be held, the Myanmar Tatmadaw is launching offensives against resistance forces to secure control over territories for security reasons.

Because of this, intense fighting is ongoing between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and resistance forces in Kachin State, northern Shan State, Karen State, Sagaing Region, and Mandalay Region.

Due to these clashes, elections cannot be held in: 56 constituencies of the Pyithu Hluttaw, 9 constituencies of the Amyotha Hluttaw under the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system, and 56 constituencies of the state and regional Hluttaws under the FPTP system.

However, Phase (1) of the election will be held in 102 townships on December 28, 2025. The remaining areas are planned to hold elections in January 2026.