SENG PHOO — Five candidates have been disqualified by the Shan State Election Commission from running in the 2020 general election.

Four had planned to run for seats in the state parliament, and one for the Lower House.

According to the state’s electoral commission, three of those disqualified were from the United Democratic Party (UDP), one was from the National Politics Democratic Party (NPDP) and one from the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD).

One candidate who had planned to run in Mongmit Township tried to appeal the disqualification, but the election commission stood by the dismissal.

“The interior ministry found that the person returned to Burma in 2012. Therefore, the candidate is not in line with election law, Article 8(a), Section 2. That’s why the candidate was disqualified from the election,” chair of the Shan State Election Commission Htin Kyaw told SHAN.

The law states that candidates must have been living in the country for 10 consecutive years prior to the election.

“The candidate returned from China, but 10 years has not passed yet. That’s why the candidate was disqualified,” general secretary of the SNLD Sai Lek told SHAN.

He said that political parties are not allowed to replace candidates that have been disqualified.

The Shan State Election Commission reported that a total of 1,037 candidates from 32 political parties had initially registered. Fourteen later withdrew, most from the Pa-O National Organization. Finally, five were disqualified.

At the time of reporting, 1,018 candidates remain set to run in the November election. Of these, 290 will run for the Lower House, 80 for the Upper House, 6015 for state parliament and 43 for ethnic affairs ministerial posts.