Photo MRT 

By The South Asia Times

Myanmar - Myanmar on Sunday carried out the second round of its staggered national elections, extending the voting process to about 100 townships across the country as authorities press ahead with plans to form a new civilian government by April.

 

State media reported that polling stations opened in the morning and closed at 4 p.m. local time. Voting took place in 12 of Myanmar’s 14 regions and states, with the military leadership showcasing the process: junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was seen visiting polling centers in Yangon’s Hlaing and Insein townships.

 

According to Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Htun, spokesman of Junat , the newly elected parliament is expected to convene in March, paving the way for a new administration the following month.

Officials have not announced when results from this phase will be released.

 

The nationwide election is being conducted in three stages. The first round was held on December 28 in 102 townships, marking the first balloting since the 2021 military takeover.

The final phase is scheduled for January 25 in 63 townships. After the initial vote, the Union Election Commission said more than 100 lawmakers were chosen for the lower house, over 30 for the upper house, and more than 100 for regional and state assemblies.

 

The polls will decide the composition of Myanmar’s Union Parliament—both chambers—as well as regional legislatures. Once seated, parliament will select a president, who will then form a government.

 

Myanmar’s last elected administration, led by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, was removed in the 2021 coup, ushering in years of emergency rule. Since then, the political landscape has narrowed: dozens of parties, including the NLD, were dissolved in 2023.

In the current contest, at least six national parties with nearly 5,000 candidates are participating, alongside 57 regional parties. The military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party is fielding more than 1,000 candidates.

Myanmar’s bicameral legislature comprises 664 seats—440 in the lower house and 224 in the upper chamber—making the outcome of the remaining phases pivotal for the country’s promised transition.