As UEC lays out election plans, doubts abound in Arakan

By Admin 19 Aug 2025

DMG Newsroom

19 August 2025, Mrauk-U

The junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) announced on August 18 that the first phase of the election will begin on December 28, 2025, and that the election will be held in multiple stages.

The announcement states that the UEC, in exercise of its powers and duties under Article 399(a) of the Constitution and Section 10 of the Union Election Commission Law, has commenced the first phase of the elections for each of the Houses of Parliament in accordance with Section 34(c) and Rule 16(a) of the relevant House Election Law.

The military regime on August 15 included areas controlled by anti-regime forces in the announcement of constituencies in the Lower House, Upper House and regional and state parliaments.

Among these, Arakan State has 17 Lower House constituencies, 12 Upper House seats, and 17 seats for the Arakan State parliament. However, in Arakan State, which has 17 townships, the Arakan Army controls 14 townships, while the military regime only controls three.

"The military regime's announcement of constituencies for holding elections is just to show the opposition that it can do this," said a young Arakanese man. "It will not be any different in Arakan State. The AA has also not allowed the junta's planned elections to be held in its controlled areas. It is not known whether candidates from Yangon will contest constituencies in AA-controlled areas."

The UEC has allowed six political parties claiming to represent the people of Arakan State to compete in the elections. They are the Arakan Front Party (AFP) led by Dr. Aye Maung; Rakhine State National Unity Party (RSUNP); Khami National Development Party; Mro National Party; Mro National Development Party (MNDP); and Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP).

"I don't know what will happen in the election in Kyaukphyu. Fighting between the military and the AA is intense in Kyaukphyu. There is no campaigning by political parties. The RNP has an office in Kyaukphyu," said a local resident in Kyaukphyu, referring to the Rakhine Nationalities Party led by former ANP leader U Ba Shein.

The military regime's Chief Minister for Arakan State, U Htein Lin, and his entourage held an election-planning meeting in Sittwe on August 14, junta-controlled state-run media reported.

During the meeting, they discussed the implementation of electoral matters and future plans to ensure a successful election. District and township Election Commission officials from Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung townships attended via video conference.

"In the three townships still under military regime control in Arakan State, most of the urban population has fled the towns due to the hardships they faced. Those who remain in the towns are likely to be less interested in politics due to food shortages, high prices, insecurity, and hunger," said an Arakanese youth in Yangon.

The military regime has said that the elections will be held using a first-past-the-post (FPTP) system for the Lower House constituencies, and a combination of first-past-the-post (FPTP) and proportional representation (PR) for the Upper House and regional and state parliaments.

The Arakan Army (AA) says the upcoming election being organised by the regime is not beneficial to the Arakanese people, nor are the people of Arakan State interested in it.