1. Regarding the Multiparty General Election held on 8 November 2020, the Union Election Commission has inspected the voter lists and the casting of votes of Kalay, Htigyaing, Wuntho, Bamauk, Pinlebu, Katha and Indaw townships in Sagaing Region.

2. According to the inspection, the previous election commission released 807,928 eligible voters in these seven townships in Sagaing Region. The list of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population in November 2020 showed 629,835 eligible voters who had turned 18. The voter lists mentioned that there were 51,799 citizens, associate citizens, naturalized citizens, and non-identity voters, 6,783 persons repeated on the voter lists more than three times and 87,212 persons repeated on the voter lists two times.

3. Findings in respective townships were as follows:

4. The Union Election Commission has inspected the withdrawal/receipt/use/remaining of ballot papers used for Pyithu Hluttaw Election of Kalay, Htigyaing, Wuntho, Bamauk, Pinlebu, Katha and Indaw townships in Sagaing Region together with the respective township election subcommission, head of police force, Immigration and Population and administrators in accordance with Section 53 of the relevant Hluttaw Election Law.

5. According to the inspection, a total of 773 polling stations in these seven townships took out 912,725 ballots and used 601,080 ballots. It left 304,153 ballots instead of 311,645 ballots. The difference was 33,378 ballots and it found 25,886 extra ballots. The extra/shortage ballots were found at respective polling stations. Findings in respective townships were as follows:

6. According to the inspections on voter lists of these seven townships of Sagaing Region, the numbers of eligible voters are more 178,093 than the voter lists according to the lists of citizens, associate citizens, naturalized citizens who had turned 18 in November 2020 of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population and Hluttaw Election Law Section 6 (a).

7. There are 51,799 nonidentity voters. Moreover, Hluttaw Election Law Section (15) (c) in Chapter VI, “Preparation of Voting Roll” stated, “Whoever has the right to vote in any constituency shall not be included in the voting roll of any constituency other than that of the constituency concerned at the same time.” But, there were 6,783 persons repeated on the voter lists more than three times and 87,212 persons repeated on the voter lists two times in these seven townships of Shan State.

8. According to the respective Hluttaw Election Rules 15 (a) which states, “Two sets of voter lists of the relevant ward or village-tract, signed and approved by the chairman and secretary of the ward or village-tract sub-commission on each page of the voter list, shall be sent to the township sub-commission. Township sub-commissions shall collect by constituency.” However, it was found that the voter list Form (1) of 30 village-tracts in Kalay Township were not signed by the chairperson and secretary of the relevant ward or village-tract sub-commission.

9. It was found that the signature or fingerprint of the voters were not included and marks and underlines and colorful scratch on the voter list Form (1) of the polling station (2) of Choontaung village-tract and polling station (2) of Aung Zeya ward in Htigyaing Township. It was also found suspicious that the name of the voter, voter list number, polling station number, ward/village name and the voter’s signature were not filled out in the receipts of a used ballot paper book of the polling station (3) of Mehin village-tract, Htigyaing Township.

10. It was found that the advance voters were not underlined by red colour ink in the voter list Form (1) and “advance vote” was written with blue colour ink in the permanent signature box, and no signature of voters were found on the Form (1) of the polling station (1) in Tonehlaw village-tract, Bamauk Township.

11. Findings from the inspection of voter lists and casting of votes of Pyithu Hluttaw ballot papers in Katha Township are as follow:

(a) Name of the voter, voter list number, polling station number, ward/village name and voter’s signature were not filled in the receipts of used ballot papers in polling station (1) of Lankhwa village-tract, Katha Township.

(b) It was found that voter list Form (1) books of the polling station (1) and (2) of upper Waigyi village-tract in Katha Township were lost.

(c) Advance votes were not marked as “advance” in the voter list Form (1) and names were circled with a blue ink with signature in the polling station (1) of Peinnegon ward.

(d) Although every page of the voter list Form (1) must be signed by the chairman and the secretary of the ward/village-tract sub-commission in accordance with the respective Hluttaw Election Rules 15 (a), most of the polling stations didn’t follow the rule. It was found complication and disorganizations with underline by red ink and colourful inks, circle with pencil and black ink in the voter list Form (1) to confuse the voter and the advance voters.

12. It was found that marks were made on the voter name and permanent signature or fingerprint was not included after casting the vote in the voter list Form (1) of the polling station of Kyaung Kone village-tract and polling station (1) of Nantha village-tract in Indaw Township.Findings in these seven townships of Sagaing Region were as follows:

(a) There were 605,190 voters and they used 601,080 ballots out of all withdrawals, which was 4,110 less than the numbers of voters.

(b) A total of 33,378 ballot papers were missing.

(c) 25,886 extra ballot papers were found in some polling stations.

(d) Ward/village-tract sub-commission’s chairman and secretary didn’t sign every page of the voter list Form (1) in accordance with the Hluttaw Election Rules 15 (a).

(e) Signature of the voter or his or her fingerprint was not included in the voter list Form (1) and marking with colourful inks and highlighting were carried out.

(f) Some polling stations allowed voters to cast the ballots without filling the voter’s name, voter list number, polling station number, village/ward name and the voter’s signature in the receipt of ballot paper.

(g) Some ward/village-tract election sub-commission failed to submit the ballot paper receipts and extra ballot papers in accordance with the law.

(h) Voters without national identification card were included in the voter list and they were allowed to vote just with the voter ID cards.

(i) Illegal advance voting was found.

(j) They released the COVID-19 related instructions, which were not in conformity with the law, to collect voter lists and advance votes when the election drew near.

13. It found voting frauds in Kalay, Htigyaing, Wuntho, Bamauk, Pinlebu, Katha and Indaw townships in Sagaing Region. The excess/shortage ballots were found in the inspection. They failed to follow the stipulations of the Hluttaw Election Law and Rules.

Union Election Commission

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