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ELECTIONS DEMONSTRATION IN NAY PYI TAW

While performing the demonstration of the voting process for the benefit of foreign diplomats andnewsmen in Nay Pyi Taw here this morning, Chairman of Union Election Commission (UEC) UThein Soe declared that Myanmar would not accept foreign technical expertise and observ-ers in holding the elections saying that we have ample experience in this regard.

Regarding the foreigner journalists to cover the November 7 elections, U Thein Soe said: Sincewe have journalists representing foreign agencies, it is not necessary to invite foreigner jour-nalists from abroad. And Union Election Commission has no authorities to do so.

When asked detained democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has the right to vote, U Thein Soereplied that since she is under detention (meaning not a prisoner), Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has theright to vote and it is according to the Law.

Regarding the international criticism whether the forthcoming elections would be a credible one, U

Thein Soe said: We are going to hold the election for our country, not for other countries. The po-litical parties inside our country will contest in our elections. Our people will vote in the electionsand it will count in front of all. We are doing with the laws and regulations. So let the people of My-anmar decide whether it is credible elections or not.

Foreign diplomats and newsmen were given a demonstration of the way an eligible voter got tovote in November 7 general elections for three parliaments and ethnic constituencies.

This demonstration of voting process was performed by Chairman of the UEC, U Thein Soe and itsmembers at a makeshift polling station inside the compound of the Union Election Commission Of-fice in Nay Pyi Taw this morning.

Eligible voters are to cast their ballot papers for three parliaments namely Pyithu Hluttaw( Houseof Representatives) with 330 seats available,Amyotha Hluttaw( House of Nationalities ) with 168

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18 October 2010

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seats available and Region/State Hluttaws and Ethnic Constituencies in separate enclosures foreach parliament after having been checked about their eligibility to exercise their franchise.

After the elections, the PyithuHluttawwill be made up of 440members as 25 per cent of itsseats will be filled by non-electedmilitary personnel. Likewise, theAmyotha Hluttawwill be made upof 224 members with 25 per centof its seats handed out to themilitary personnel as prescribedby the 2008 State Constitution.

While supervising the demonstra-tion of voting process, U TheinSoe, who was Judge-Advocate

General of the military with therank of Major General, assuredthat the forthcoming generalelections would be free and fair.

In declaring as such, U TheinSoe said altogether3071 can-didates representing 37 politi-cal parties plus 82 independ-ents would be contesting in1158 constituencies.

He also gave the number ofeli-gible voters as more than 29million throughout the country.

As for the number ofpollingstations, U Thein Soe said, itwill be about 40,000 throughoutthe country.

Union Election Commission willannounce the results of the

elections as soon as possibleafter counting, U Thein Soerevealed without elaboratinghow soon.

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18 October 2010

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