There could be around 1,000 polling stations for servicemen and their families outside military areas for the next general election to be held this year, and they will be built near the gates of those military units, said Myint Naing, member of the Union Election Commission. 

He revealed the information after a media question during a press conference held by the UEC in Nay Pyi Taw on January 9. 

"In the next election, there will no longer be polling booths within the military areas. They will be outside. Some military units are very far from public communities. In those areas, polling stations will be outside the military units. Servicemen have their families. They are over 600 in number. For those military units near communities, voters can go to 339 polling stations together with civilians," Myint Naing said. 

In the 2015 election, there were 844 polling booths for military personnel within military units. Their families had to go to 108 other stations in wards and villages. 

The plan to move polling stations for servicemen outside the military areas this year is for election candidates, monitors and voters to be able to go to and from the stations more conveniently, he said. 

"Military polling stations will be outside military units. But they will be near the gates. Observers and monitors must have the chance to go to the polling stations. It must be in accord with the five standards. We will coordinate with military commanders," Myint Naing said. 

According to the voter lists made till December 2019, there are over 37 million voters. However, the number does not include military personnel and their families. 

The Union Election Commission stopped the political party registration application on January 1. Currently, there are 95 registered parties, there suspended parties, three under scrutiny for the formation and five under scrutiny for registration.