A total of 303 candidates have registered to run in Mon State as part of Burma’s general election in November, the Mon State Election Commission announced.

Those running are from 13 political parties, along with 12 independent candidates.

Some 65 people will contest for seats in the Lower House, 78 for Upper House seats, and 137 for the Mon State parliament. Eight are running for the each the Karen and the Pa-O ethnic affairs ministerial posts, and seven are running for the Bamar ethnic affairs post in the state.  

Head of Mon State’s election commission Hein Lin Htet told NMG that three candidates who originally registered to run for different positions later withdrew.

August 7 was the deadline for registering to run in the election.

“We will check up on these electoral candidates between August 11 and August 17," Hein Lin Htet told NMG.

There are total of 45 positions up for election in Mon State. This includes 10 Lower House seats, 12 Upper House seats, 20 state parliamentary seats, and one for each the Bamar, Karen and Pa-O affairs ministerial posts.

Leaders of the Mon Unity Party (MUP) said that they have put forward 35 candidates in Mon State.

“We will run in eight townships in Mon State but we will not run in Thaton or Belin townships. We will also compete for the Bamar ethnic affairs minister post,” MUP spokesperson Nai San Tin said.

The MUP will also contest for seats in Karen State, and Tanintharyi, Bago and Yangon regions.

In the last general election in 2015, 280 candidates ran in Mon State.