Myanmar announces stringent new rules for registration of political parties

The military government of Myanmar has announced stringent new laws for the registration of political parties for the general election in the country. The State Administration Council of Myanmar put out new rules on Thursday which require political parties to recruit at least one lakh members within 90 days of their registration. However, the political parties contesting in a single region need to recruit 1000 members within three months.

The political parties carrying out activities across the entire country are required to open offices in at least half of the 330 townships of Myanmar within the period of six months. Additionally, they must deposit 100 million Kyats with the State-owned bank as registration money. 

The new law makes it mandatory for political parties to register within 60 days. In case they fail to register within the stipulated time frame, they will stand dissolved and they won’t be allowed to participate in the general elections.

The newly announced



Political Parties Registration law of Myanmar also revives an old provision which does not allow any convicted individuals or persons having affiliation with entities designated as ‘unlawful associations’ to be a member of the party. Former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi is serving an extended jail term after being convicted of several charges by the military government. 

A number of leaders belonging to Suu Kyi’s party, National League for Democracy (NLD), are part of the government in exile named ‘National Unity Government’ (NUG) which has been declared an unlawful organisation by the military government headed by General Min Aung Hlaing.

NLD has announced that it will not re-register with the Election Commission formed by the military government headed by a military official. In the last general elections of Myanmar, 91 political parties had taken part including the NLD and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party.