Aung San Suu Kyi confirms to run by-elections
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Xinhua, January 10, 2012
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has confirmed to run the upcoming by-elections set for April 1, according to sources with her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), Tuesday.
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Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi [File photo] |
Representing one of the NLD candidates, Aung San Suu Kyi, currently the second party leader, will contest in a constituency in Yangon region for a parliamentary seat, party spokesman U Ohn Kyaing told Xinhua in Yangon, adding that the exact constituency will be made known when the candidate list is formally submitted to the Union Election Commission early next week.
The commission Tuesday prescribed the last two weeks of this month as the period of submitting candidate lists for vacant constituencies to be contested by political parties in the upcoming by-elections.
The submission period will start from Jan. 16 and last until Jan. 31.
The NLD has vowed to run the upcoming by-elections by contesting in all constituencies available in the country after it regained legal status.
Accordingly, the NLD has also formed a 21-member Committee for Winning the Election, led by U Tin Oo, to prepare for starting canvassing work for vote.
The NLD headquarters has notified its branches across the country to submit their proposed lists of nomination of candidates townshipwise to run the by-elections for scrutiny by the headquarters not later than Jan. 11.
The commission in a notification said its sub-commissions across the country are preparing up-to-date ballot lists for the by-elections, making clear that "Citizens who have attained 18 years of age on the election day and who are not disqualified by law, guest citizens, naturalized citizens or those holding temporary identity cards and those who are included in the ballot lists of the constituency concerned shall have the right to vote".
According to the commission, there is a total of 48 vacant parliamentary seats to be filled in the by-elections after these parliament members became government cabinet members in the last general election held on Nov. 7, 2010.
The 48 available parliamentary seats for the by-elections are 40 for the House of Representatives, 6 for the House of Nationalities and 2 for Region or State Parliament.
The fresh parliament representatives are to be elected from vacant constituencies in 10 regions or states including six constituencies in Yangon region for the House of Representatives.
