National League for Democracy (NLD) party spokesman Dr. Myo Nyunt said that holding elections in some warn-torn ethnic areas depends on a security guarantee given by the Tatmadaw (military).

“There will be elections in these areas as much as the peace can be restored in these places but security matters are very much concerned with the opinions of Tatmadaw. We can hold elections in these areas only if they can give a security guarantee,” Dr. Myo Nyunt said.

Dr. Myo Nyunt said these words in reply to the media at the NLD founding anniversary ceremony held 27 September at Shwegontaing party head office.

He added that NLD party was trying hard to restore peace in these ethnic areas.

And also ethnic parties are worrying about unable to hold elections because of prevailing security situations in some townships of Shan, Kachin and Rakhine states where battles were being fought between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs). 

NLD party spokesman Dr. Myo Nyunt said, “We have concern over this issue also. Our policy is all-inclusiveness in elections so that failure of holding elections on security grounds in any areas will undermine the essence of elections.”

Officials are trying to fix the weaknesses and drawbacks in the electoral system such as absentee ballots. 

Dr. Myo Nyunt said that NLD party was trying for all citizens to get national registration cards and household registration in order to be enrolled in the electoral rolls.

In 2010 general elections in which President Thein Sein’s party won had 35 constituencies where elections could not held and in the 2015 general elections and the 2018 by-elections under the rule of NLD government there were 13 constituencies where elections could not held.

Apart from prolonged and ongoing armed conflicts, demises of MPs and promotion of some MPs to union ministers made vacant seats in some constituencies.