Polling station staff stuffed 'Yes' votes for the constitutional referendum in Thoungpyin village of Lamine Sub-Township, Mon state, said a poll station staff.

 

Before the polling station closed, one of the staff members Zar Kyi Htway filled a lot of left over ballots with 'Yes' votes on behalf of those voters who did not come to vote, said the staff.  "I saw that she filling up support votes for a long time." she continued.

"We got 1129 support, 925 against and 267 disqualifying votes on the constitution in the polling station in Thoungpyin village booth," she said. 

"All of our family members’ ages are over 18 year, but we did not get ballots to go to the polling station to vote. We are not involved in any opposition movement and I do not understand why we did not get the chance," said a commission member. 

Only about 2600 out of 9000 eligible voters received ballots to vote for the referendum in Thoungpyin village, he added.

A majority of eligible voters did not receive the ballots and the commission members voted instead of the voters, according to an authoritative source from the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC).

Thoungpyin village is one of the strongholds of activists' in Mon state and the result from the poll station has shocked the villagers, said local observers.