YANGON-----The Union Election Commission issued a statement on October 17 saying that for those unable to return to their native places to vote, they can apply for advance voting with Form (15) not later than October 25.

The UEC already announced on October 8 that Form (15) can be collected from the election sub-commission offices in the respective townships there are in.

The statement says the plan is to ensure that those who cannot return to their native constituencies due to the Covid-19 rules cannot lose their voting right.

However, the Union Solidarity and Development Party sent an open letter to the UEC on October 15 calling for a review because such a plan is not stipulated in the election law and rules.

The letter says the lists of advance voters should have earlier been announced together with the evidence that their names have been removed from the voter lists in their native constituencies. It is a measure to prevent those from voting two times, the letter points out.

Although such an advance voting plan is not prescribed in the election law, it will ensure the voters outside their constituencies do not lose their voting right during the Covid-19 crisis, said Shein Win, chairman of Mandalay Region Election Sub-commission.

The township election sub-commissions that receive Form (15) applications need to send fax or email to the respective sub-commissions to check whether the applicants are on the voter lists in their native constituencies.