As the ballot papers for advance votes were mistakenly distributed to voters in Tonekhan village in Muse Township, 145 voters that casted their votes had to vote again on November 6, according to the decision made by the coordination meeting during the election period held at the Muse sub-election commission office.

The incident occured when officials of the sub-commission mistakenly gave the Amyothar Hluttaw ballots in place of Pyithu Hluttaw. The advance voters didn’t know they were given the wrong ballot papers. After the township election commission became aware of the matter, advance voting was adjourned temporarily and called an immediate meeting according to chairman of Muse Township election commission Min Aung.

“The writings on the cover of the books are indistinct, and so in charge of the polling booth station and members wrongly given the ballot papers to advance voters. So, a meeting was convened with commission members, parties’ representatives and candidates. We don’t want the voters and candidates to suffer for the mistakes. Therefore, they suggested casting votes again not to affect the voters and candidates,” said Min Aung.

“We have to call on the 143 advanced voters again. So, we are arranging all of them to cast votes again. We will explain the matter honestly. We will have to wait whether they will come again to vote or not. The reason for accepting the meeting’s decision was I don’t want the rights of eligible voters to waste. Besides, the rights of candidates must not be lost too. We thought that the wrongful distribution of ballot papers shouldn’t have occurred,” said San San Htwe, independent candidate from Muse Township constituency no-1.

The Election Commission has to strictly monitor re-voting in Tonekhan village in Muse Township. Kutkhine and Namkham township have to pay serious attention to avoid similar incidents according to Theint Theint Tun from Union Betterment party.