Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Because they failed to file their electoral expenses in the 2010 election in time, Burma’s Union Election Commission (UEC) has disqualified 75 candidates from running for office in the next election.
State-run newspapers published a list last week of the disqualified candidates.Thirty-two candidates were from the National Unity Party; 10 from the National Democratic Force; eight from the two Chin Parties (Chin Progressive Party and Chin National Party); three from the Democratic Party (Myanmar); one from the Union Solidarity and Development Party; and the remaining 21 were from other political parties.
All candidates were required to submit their election expenses before January 12, and candidates who failed to meet the deadline were barred from the current term of Parliament and contesting in the next election.
Han Shwe, a spokesman of the National Unity Party, said that some candidates failed to file their electoral expenses because they were concerned about the undemocratic nature of the election.
Tun Shwe, a candidate of the Wunthanu NLD (Union of Myanmar) party, said he was unfairly disqualified even after he filed a special appeal for leniency with strong reasons and evidence, citing the illness of his wife who was in hospital and needed his attention.
He said he filed his wife’s medical certificate, a doctor’s letter, an affidavit and his electoral expenses with the EU in Naypyidaw in the third week of February.