Myanmar election commission finds fraud everywhere

Myanmar election commission finds fraud everywhere

Junta-picked body claims 11 million cases found, with cheating in every single constituency

Protesters shout slogans and make the three-finger salute as they take part in a demonstration against the military in Mandalay on Saturday. (Stringer via AFP)
Protesters shout slogans and make the three-finger salute as they take part in a demonstration against the military in Mandalay on Saturday. (Stringer via AFP)

The election commission appointed by Myanmar’s military junta says it has found as many as 11 million instances of fraud in last November’s general election.

Allegations of fraud in the election, won overwhelmingly by the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, were the main pretext for the military seizing power in February.

The election commission said it found fraud in all constituencies, calling errors in voter registrations “premeditated” mistakes, according to an announcement in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

The NLD has denied any such fraud.

The statement from the election commission said its investigation found instances of people without citizenship on voter rolls and duplicate registrations in all 315 constituencies.

Total fraud cases reached over 11 million, the election commission added.

The commission has indicated that it may dissolve the NLD, accusing it of being involved in widespread voter fraud.

The NLD won 396 of 476 seats contested in the election, securing a comfortable majority in the 664-seat bicameral parliament. In contrast, the military-backed main opposition party secured just 33 seats.

Since the coup, the military government has detained former state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other prominent party members. She is currently on trial on a number of charges, ranging from owning unlicensed walkie-talkies to corruption and breaking the official secrets act.

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