NLD challenges victory of USDP candidate in Shan State race

NLD challenges victory of USDP candidate in Shan State race
by -
Mya Wun Yan

Mya Wun Yan — U Khine Nyi Nyi Kyaw, a National League for Democracy (NLD) candidate in Shan State in last month's election, has formally objected to the victory of Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) candidate U Aung Kyaw Nyunt in the Shan State Parliament.

On November 11th Union Election Commission (UEC) declared U Aung Kyaw Nyunt the elected candidate from Lawksawk Township’s Constituency No 1.

U Khine Nyi Nyi Kyaw submitted an objection letter to the UEC on Saturday and asked them to remove U Aung Kyaw Nyunt from the list of elected candidates.

Reached for comment, U Aung Nyunt,  from Lawksawk Township’s NLD explained that there were a total of 41 polling stations in Lawksawk Township’s Constituency No 1, comprising four Ba Htoo military camp polling stations and 38 non-military camp polling stations.

According to him, the ballots from military personnel attending a 120-day training course were improperly included in the four military camp polling stations and military personnel living inside Myoe Oo Ward were also improperly included on the voter list for the military camp polling station.

“There were 1,681 ballots from the trainees. As the training course is only for four months, the total number of days is less than 180. This is one thing. Another thing is that 342 ballots from No 508 Regiment, which is under Myoe Oo Ward, have been added in the military [voter] list. They were only included when the last voter list was released. According to Section 49 (b), they can only vote in their respective constituencies. But, their they were added to the Military Camp Polling Station 1 even though they were supposed to vote in Myoe Oo Ward,” he said.

If one excludes the votes cast at the military bases, the NLD candidate U Khine Nyi Nyi Kyaw received more votes than his USDP rival.  The revised tally would give the NLD candidate 18,575 votes more than the USDP candidate U Aung Kyaw Nyunt who would only have 13823 votes.

In his letter to the UEC, U Khine Nyi Nyi Kyaw, alleged that U Aung Kyaw Nyunt won because the ballots from the trainees, who are non-permanent residents were improperly included.  

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