Union Election Commission Directive No.2/2010

By Union Election Commission • June 21, 2010

Enlisting the strength of political parties

Introduction

1. For holding a free and fair multi-party democracy general election in 2010, the Union Election Commission is granting permission to set up political parties and register as political parties in accord with the Political Parties Registration Law.

2. Under Section 9 of Political Parties Registration Law, the parties that have been granted permission to register as political parties shall have to submit a report to the UEC that they have enlisted the prescribed strength of their parties in accord with Section11 and Rule 13(a) (b) after mobilizing their members in accordance with Section 10.

3. The UEC, therefore, has issued the directive under Section 26 of Political Parties Registration Law in order that the political parties that have been granted permission to register shall act in conformity with the law in enlisting the prescribed number of party members.

Procedures to follow

4. Political parties may follow the following procedures for enlisting the prescribed number of party members:-

(a) Assembling and giving speeches at a designated place with the permission of the sub-commission concerned

(b) Writing, printing and publishing

Applying for permission to assemble and give speeches

5. Those political parties that want to assemble and give speeches at a designated place shall have to apply to the sub-commission concerned at least seven days ahead as mentioned hereunder to get a permit.

(a) The State or Division Sub-commission concerned for the townships where State or Division Sub-commission office is resided

(b) The District Sub-commission concerned for the townships where District Sub-commission office is resided

(c) The Township Sub-commission concerned for the remaining townships except the townships mentioned in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b)

6. Those political parties that want to assemble and give speeches at their party headquarters or branches shall have to report to the sub-commission concerned at least seven days ahead without necessity to apply for permission.

7. The political parties entitled to apply: In applying for permission according to the paragraph 5, the chairman, the secretary of the party headquarters, state/division, district, or township concerned or a person who takes the same responsibility of the said chairman or secretary shall have to sign the application.

8. Points to be mentioned in the application: In applying for the permit, political parties concerned shall have to mention that they will assemble and give speeches in conformity with the prohibitions, provisions included in the permit and the rules and regulations in addition to the following points in the application.

(a) the planned place

(b) the planned date

(d) the number of attendees (estimate)

(e) the names, National Registration Card Nos. and addresses of permitted speaker or speakers

(f) The name, NRC No and address of the applicant

9. Scrutiny to be conducted by the sub-commission concerned: As regards for applying for the permit according to paragraphs 5, 7 and 8, the subcommission concerned:-

(a) shall issue the permit or reject the application after scrutinizing the application as necessary

(b) shall have to mention the following points in the permit if it is to be issued:-

(1) date and venue of the issuance

(2) Starting time and finishing time.

(3) Name, NRC No and address of permitted speaker or speakers.

(c) Rules prohibiting the act of marching to the designated gathering point and the venue holding flags or marching and chanting slogans in procession, and stating to disperse without any slogan-chanting marches at the end of assembling and speeches shall be stipulated in the permit.

(d) The followinpoints shall be stipulated in a permit as necessary:

(1) Not to disturb any public places such as government offices, organizations, factories, workshops, workplaces, markets, sports grounds, religious places, schools and people’s hospitals.

(2) Not to exceed the capacity of buildings or halls designated as assembling vanue for speeches (To make the party concerned to take the responsibility to ensure that there is no assembling outside the building or hall).

(3) If a place permitted for assembling and giving speeches is a ground, the number of the attendees shall not exceed the capacity of the ground.

(4) Holding sticks, knives, weapons and ammunition, and any harmful objects are prohibited.

(5) Any acts to disturb traffic or to block roads are prohibited.

(6) The sound amplified by sound boxes shall be just loud enough to hear inside the permitted room or ground in order to avoid public annoyance.

(7) The sound amplifying system shall be used in accordance with the existing rules and regulations as necessary.

(8) Other restrictions as necessary.

(e) The permit to assembly and give speeches shall be issued at least 48 hours before the due time. If the application for assembling and giving speeches is rejected, the rejection shall be informed with the reasons at least 48 hours before the due time for assembling and giving speeches.

(f) If necessary, the rules and regulations enumerated in the permit may be amended or the permit may be revoked for the sake of security, the rule of law and peace.

(g) Potential public places for permission to assemble and give speeches in home regions shall be designated in advance in coordination with Peace and Development Councils concerned.

(h) Measures shall be taken through coordination for Peace and Development Councils and security forces concerned to provide protection in order that the process of assembling and giving speeches cannot be harmed.

(i) Measures shall be taken through coordination for Peace and Development Councils and security forces concerned to make necessary arrangements to ward off any forms of acts that can harm security, the rule of law and community peace.

The right of publication

10. If political parties wish to publish and distribute documents, booklets and pamphlets for public knowledge of their policies, vision and work programmes, they shall strictly follow Directive (42) dated 17 March 2010 issued in accordance with 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Law by the Central Body for Supervising Registration of Printers and Publishers and Scrutinization of Literary Works.

Prohibitions

11. In assembling, giving speeches and publishing and distributing publications, political parties shall not violate any of the following prohibitions.

(a) acts to harm non-disintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of national unity, and perpetuation of sovereignty,

(b) acts to harm security, the rule of law, and community peace,

(d) giving talks and publishing and distributing publications with the intention tarnishing the image of the State,

(e) giving talks and publishing and distributing publications with the intention of breaking up the Tatmadaw or tarnishing the image of the Tatmadaw,

(f) creating literary works, giving talks or taking organizing measures that can spark disputes on racial affairs or religious affairs or individuals or others, and that can harm dignity and morality,

(g) misusing religion for political gains,

(h) Making instigation, giving talks and publishing and distributing publications with the intention of harming peaceful pursuit of education,

(i) Making instigation giving talks and publishing and distributing publications with the intention that government service personnel cannot shoulder their duties with a sense of duty or they take to the streets to protest the government.

12. Political parties shall not be against the existing laws, prohibitions, stipulated in this directive, and principles in the permit
in giving talks and publishing and distributing publications on their policies, vision and work programmes.

13. If a political party fails to honour any of the prohibitions in this directive, or any of the rules and regulations in the permit, action will be taken against the party in accordance with not only the existing law but also Political Parties Registration Law.

Conclusion

14. Therefore, political parties are to honour this directive in recruiting new party members, giving speeches and publishing and distributing publications to ensure that the Multi-Party Democracy General Election to be held in 2010 will be free and fair.

Chairman
Union Election Commission

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Published in the New Light of Myanmar on 23 June 2010.

Tags: 2010 Elections, Directive, Election Laws, Union Election Commission

This post is in: 2010 Elections

Union Election Commission Directive No.2/2010

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