Yangon – Five Sagaing Region members of the Union Election Commission (UEC) face legal action for electoral fraud, according to the commission.
The UEC said on Monday that U Shwe Tun and U Than Tun Sein, two of its member in Nga Lone Tin village tract in Sagaing’s Chaung-U Township, were being investigated for using fake stamps when collecting early votes.
Three UEC members in Ywartharyar village tract in Sagaing’s Taze Township, U Than Soe, U Tun Hla and secretary U Myint, were also under investigation for electoral fraud, it added.
The UEC said the three allegedly provided two, rather than three, ballot papers to two voters.
The commission said the two voters claimed the three UEC members fraudulently voted on their behalf.
Nine other people from six regions and states face lawsuits over alleged fraudulent voting, including voting twice, pretending to be a voter, using fake stamps and tearing ballot papers.
The UEC said 14 people, including five UEC members, are being prosecuted under Articles 420 and 486 of the Penal Code and Articles 58 and 59 of the Election Law.
Article 420 of the Penal Code targets fraud and carries a jail term of up to seven years.
Article 486 threatens anyone using counterfeit trademarks or stamps with up to a year in prison.
Article 59 of the Election Law bans voting more than once in an election, destroying election materials and other electoral offenses and carries one year’s imprisonment.
Article 58 carries up to a year in jail for anyone disrupting an election or threatening someone into not voting.
This month the UEC filed lawsuits against a representative of a Union Solitary and Development Party candidate and a middle-school teacher over alleged electoral fraud during advance voting.
The UEC said the representative provided a fake stamp to replace a faulty UEC-approved stamp used by voters to mark ballots at a polling station in Yangon Region’s Hlegu Township.
In a separate case, the teacher allegedly twice cast advance ballots in Ayeyarwady Region.
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