Shan State Election Sub-commission member Tun Tun Naing has said there is no possibility of holding an election in Mongkai Township.

Members of the Union Election Commission was arriving in Taunggyi Township and held a meeting with departmental personnel at the township sub-commission office on October 31. 

“It is not possible at all to hold election in Mongkia. We have just asked the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Lover level sub-commissions have submitted the matter. But there is no approval from the Union level. So, I asked a question at the meeting. After coordination, the two ministries did not allow for security and defence reasons. So it is impossible,” said Tun Tun Naing, member of the Shan State Election Sub-commission.

Mongkia Township is also among the constituencies that will not take place general election due to the fact that a free and fair election is not possible as announced by the UEC on October 16.

However, demands were made that Mongkai should be removed from the list of the abolished constituencies as it does not see any fighting or conflict.

Four political due to run for election in Mongkai Township made the demands sending letters to the UEC on October 21.

Likewise, three candidates from Shan Nationalities League for Democracy submitted a letter along with a petition signed by over 10,000 local people to Loilin District Election Sub-commission on October 22.

In its suggestion, the military said although Mongkai has no fighting, there are armed groups trying to disrupt or threaten the political parties in their election campaigns.

Some members from Ta’aung (Palaung) National Party also said it was a right decision to not hold the election in Mongkai.

The township has 35 polling stations and nearly 60,000 voters.

The UEC announced on October 27 that some wards and village-tracts in Muse, Lashio and Kunlong townships of northern Shan State will hold elections although they had been cancelled earlier