Myanmar publishes available parliamentary seats for by-elections

The Myanmar Union Election Commission has formally made public the number of available number of parliamentary seats to be contested by political parties in the next by-elections although no date has been set so far. According to the commission Sunday, there is a total of 48 parliamentary seats to be filled in the by-elections after these parliament members became government cabinet members in the last general election held on Nov. 7, 2010. The 48 available parliamentary seats, scattered in constituencies in 10 regions or states for the by-elections, are 40 for the House of Representatives, 6 for the House of Nationalities and 2 for Region or State Parliament. Of the 10 region or state constituencies, Mandalay's will mainly have 10 and Yangon 6 for the seats of House of Representatives, while other constituencies will have one or two each seats for the House of Nationalities and for the Region or State Parliament. The commission disclosed that there exists 17 more parliamentary seats for contest in constituencies where the last November 2010 general election could not be held for security reason and efforts are being made to make it possible there this time if security status improves. These ethnic constituencies are 2 in Kachin state and 5 in Shan state for the seats of House of Representatives, while other 10 constituencies are in the same Shan state for the seats of state parliamentary seats. The commission vowed to spend 700 million Kyats (about 900,000 USD) for use in the coming by-elections, advising contesting political parties to start to canvass for vote for the by- elections freely. In the last general election in 2010, the commission spent 10.8 billion Kyats (about 13.84 million USD), according to the commission. Meanwhile, Myanmar's main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, has regained its legal status as a political party, vowing to run the upcoming by- elections by contesting in all constituencies available in the country. According to local sources, the NLD has formed a 21-member Committee for Winning the Election, led by U Tin Oo, to prepare for starting canvassing work for vote. The sources added that the NLD is expected to reveal on Monday the name list of its party formation and possibly initial nomination of candidates to be sent for the by-elections, the date of which is yet to be announced by the election commission.