Election map shrinks as Myanmar UEC scraps 20 additional constituencies

Mizzima

On the eve of Myanmar’s multi-party general election, the military-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) issued an urgent late-night announcement significantly reducing the number of constituencies where polling will occur. The declaration, released on 27 December, confirms that voting has been canceled in 20 additional constituencies across the country’s most volatile conflict zones due to security concerns.

The eleventh-hour directive specifically targets areas where the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system is utilized. Among the casualties are nine Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House) constituencies, including three townships in Chin State, two in Sagaing Region, and four in Rakhine State. The cancellation of these seats underscores the junta’s inability to maintain administrative control in the country’s northwest and western borderlands.

In a further blow to the election’s scope, the commission announced the complete suspension of voting for the Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House) in two entire districts. Both Falam District in Chin State (Constituency No. 3) and Ann District in Rakhine State (Constituency No. 6) have been removed from the ballot. The loss of Ann District is particularly notable as it serves as the headquarters for the military’s Western Command, signaling that even high-security zones are not exempt from the growing instability.

State and Region legislatures have been equally impacted, with nine FPTP constituencies scrapped. These include three townships for the Chin State Hluttaw, two for the Sagaing Region Hluttaw, and four for the Rakhine State Hluttaw.