Week 35: 2010 Election Watch (2-8 November)

Developments

Widespread evidence of electoral fraud, irregularities, threats, harassment, and lack of independent monitoring characterized Election Day and the days leading up to it:

• In the days before the election, local SPDC officials, polling station officials, and Union Solidarity and Development (USDP) members throughout the country solicited advance and proxy votes, in the overwhelming majority of cases specifically for the USDP […]

Week 29: 2010 Election Watch (21-27 September)

Developments

• The SPDC Election Commission rejected the transcripts for the TV and radio campaign messages of the Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics, the 88 Generation Student Youths (Union of Myanmar), and the Democratic Party (Myanmar) […]

Week 28: 2010 Election Watch (14-20 September)

Developments

• The SPDC Election Commission announced that polls would not be held in 3,314 Villages in Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Mon, and Shan States because “they are in no position to host free and fair elections.”
• The SPDC Election Commission rejected the application of 14 Kachin State Progressive Party members to run as independent candidates […]

Week 27: 2010 Election Watch (7-13 September)

Developments

• The Myanmar Democracy Congress and the Myanmar New Society Democratic Party failed to field at least three candidates as required by the SPDC election laws. Myanmar Democracy Congress General Secretary Kaung Htet announced that the party would boycott the upcoming elections because of the SPDC Election Commission’s “unacceptable and unsatisfactory” actions […]

Week 24: 2010 Election Watch (17-23 August)

Developments

• The SPDC Election Commission published Notification 91/2010 which requires candidates to seek approval for public speeches seven days in advance.. In addition, candidates cannot give speeches or distribute materials that criticize the constitution, “tarnish” the image of the state or the military, or “harm security. As with earlier regulations on campaign activities, chanting slogans, marching or carrying flags are prohibited as part of candidate rallies […]

Week 23: 2010 Election Watch (10-16 August)

Developments

• The SPDC Election Commission set the election date for 7 November and also established a two-week filing period that ends on 30 August for political parties to submit their list of candidates for review and approval.
• The SPDC Election Commission designated constituencies for the National and Regional Parliaments […]

Week 19: 2010 Election Watch (13-19 July)

Developments

• The SPDC granted permission for the pro-junta Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) to dissolve. All USDA assets have been transferred to the Union Solidarity and Development Party, led by SPDC PM Thein Sein […]

Week 13: 2010 Election Watch (1-7 June)

Developments

• On 6 June, the deadline passed for new parties to file registration papers to participate in the elections. Before the deadline, a total of 42 parties – 37 new parties and five existing parties – had filed registration applications […]

Political Groups Prepare for Election

Burmese political groups are preparing to register to contest the 2010 election following the release of the junta’s election and parties registration law, group leaders said on Wednesday. […]