A by-election will be held for a total of eight unoccupied constituencies including two vacancies at the Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives) in 2018, said Aung Myint, a member of the Union Election Commission (UEC). The UEC member declared the byelection when he replied to a question raised by Khin Maung Latt from Rakhine State constituency (3) about a vacant seat for constituency (2) of Yethedaung Township at the regional legislature during the Amyotha Hluttaw (House of Nationalities) session on January 15. The unoccupied constituencies at regional legislatures are Thabeikkyin T o w n s h i p c o n s t i t u e n c y ( 1 ) a t Mandalay Region legislature, Tamu Township constituency (2) at Sagaing Region legislature, Minbu Township constituency (2) at Magway Region legislature, Matupee Township constituency (1) at Chin State legislature and Yethedaung Township constituency (2) at Rakhine State legislature. And the available two seats at the Pyithu Hluttaw are Kanpatlat constituency from Chin state and Lecha constituency from Shan state.
Out of all the vacant seats, Minbu Township constituency (2) at Magway Region legislature is available because of the resignation of the lawmaker, and the rest are due to the decease of the seat holders.
The by-election is certain to come in 2018, and the UEC is currently preparing to announce the election date upon completing coordination process with other stakeholder agencies, said Aung Myint.
Myanmar has passed through four elections since its transition to civilian administration from prolonged military rule; general elections in 2010 that saw the rise of a civilian government in a drastic political turnabout, a by-election in 2010 through which the current State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi became a member of parliament under the previous administration, general elections in 2015 in which the ruling National League for Democracy party won a landslide victory, and a by-election in 2017 which marked the first election held under the incumbent government.
