A complaint has been filed with the Union Election Commission (UEC) after a candidate for the Ta’ang National Party (TNP) alleges that he won instead of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) during the recent election.

TNP candidate U Nyi Sein claims he beat USDP candidate U Sai Sar Lu by 199 votes for the Upper House Constituency No 5 seat after ballots from six polling stations in Northern Shan State’s Namhkam Township were recounted. The UEC have denied this and still recognizing U Sai Sar Lu as the winner.

A negotiation meeting between U Nyi Sein and a representative for U Sai Sar Lu took place in Lashio on Nov. 18 but failed to resolve the dispute. The meeting was attended by U San Win, chairperson for Shan State Election Commission, and election sub-commission secretaries from Namhkam, Muse, and Kutkai townships.

“During the negotiation meeting U San Win told us he would submit my complaint to the township commission chairman to confirm the results (the ballot recount). We believed him and we were waiting for the confirmation,” said U Nyi Sein. The secretary for the district commission later called to say the UEC had rejected the complaint because the winning candidates had already been announced, he said.

“I will go to Naypyidaw and meet with the UEC to give my complaint. I plan to oppose that the (recognized) winning candidate received more votes than me. According to election bylaws, I must pay 500,000 kyats (US $388) to make an objection,” U Nyi Sein said.

According to U Nyi Sein, polling results from Namhkam, Muse, and Kutkai townships in northern Shan State showed that he got 41,046 votes and U Sai Sar Lu received 40,847 votes.

The TNP ran in eight townships in Shan State and alleges to have won by a large margin in Namhsan, Mantong, and Namhkam townships.

“I only want justice. I’m will be satisfied if there is fairness and transparency,” U Nyi Sein said.

Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff