Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has amended the Union Election Commission Law, which allows government staff to chair all Myanmar’s election bodies ahead of voting due in December or January.
Many government departments are led by ex-military officers who can dominate the election sub-commissions down to the village level.
Ko Ko, the chairman of the Union Election Commission, is a former air force officer.
Sub-commissions previously needed an independent chair, an election officer as secretary and two other professional members.
This week’s amendment says sub-commissions can include three members of the public or civil servants, one of whom will be appointed as chair. An election officer will act as secretary.
It means regime staff will have control over all levels of the electoral process.
During his June 11 visit to Pyin Oo Lwin, Min Aung Hlaing told civil servants that they must distinguish between politics and national duty, and that they are obligated to serve the state.
In previous elections, teachers often ran polling stations.
The junta’s latest move to use loyalists to oversee the poll has further undermined any credibility in its election plans.
The regime is also conducting training in the use of electronic voting machines in southern and eastern Shan, Magwe, Kayah (Karenni) and Sagaing. The junta’s election body, the Immigration Ministry and other departments are finalizing voter lists.
The military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party says it is keen to contest the election.
