Myanmar's UEC to seek cooperation from political parties, public for general election

Myanmar's Union Election Commission is seeking cooperation from political parties, the public, stakeholders and media in an effort to successfully hold free and fair elections in line with the law, according to the an announcement of the commission published here on Saturday.

The announcement said that the 2015 general election is slated for late October or early November and the primary objective of political parties coming into existence is to win elections.

It is incumbent on political parties to adhere to the orders and instructions in their organizational campaigns, the announcement said.

A political party, in carrying out a canvass, is required to respect and abide by the State Constitution and the Political Parties Registration Law, it said, adding that it is required not to commit unlawful practices prescribed in the election law.

Before the 2015 general election, a nationwide referendum has been planned in May to adopt a draft constitutional amendment.

Myanmar last held its general election on Nov. 7, 2010 when the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won the majority with its chairman U Thein Sein elected as the country's president after five decades of military rule.

On April 1, 2012, a first by-election was held in which the opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won 43 out of 45 then open parliamentary seats with its chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi occupying a seat of House of Representatives (the Lower House). Endi