The Myanmar military regime has sacked its election body chief Thein Soe after extending emergency rule for another six months.
The junta announced on Wednesday night that Thein Soe was allowed to retire on health grounds. Ko Ko has replaced him as the election body chief.
The move followed the announcement of amendments to the new Political Parties Registration Law enacted by the regime last year.
Thein Soe was appointed the head of the Union Election Commission when it was reconstituted following the military takeover in 2021.
He served as judge advocate-general under the previous military regime, and was chairman of the inaugural election body formed under the army-drafted 2008 Constitution to conduct the 2010 general election, which international observers said was neither free nor fair.
The regime has also reshuffled its cabinet following the extension of emergency rule, replacing Aung Zaw Aye with Aung Aung Ko as the Shan State chief minister, and replacing Than Win with Kyaw Myo Htut on the Union Civil Service Board, which regulates the employment of civil servants.
Myo Hlaing was appointed a member of the Union Election Commission, and Htein Lin was appointed deputy sports and youth affairs minister. Dr. Kyaw Tun was allowed to retire from the central advisory board of the regime’s governing body, the State Administration Council, junta media reported.
