The former Union Election Commission (UEC) issued the fifth amendments of respective Hluttaw Election Rules in 2019 by Order No. (55/2019), (56/2019) and (57/2019) dated 3.10.2019; and the sixth amendment of respective Hluttaw Election Rules by Order No. (9/2020), (10/2020) and (11/2020) dated 5-6-2020. It was found that the former chairman of UEC U Hla Thein and former Commissioners U Myint Naing and U Than Htay met former President and State Counsellor in person and took the guidance from them to make these amendments that favored winning NLD party. [1]

 Among these amendments, the period of current residency for the advance voters out of constituency prescribed in Section 10 of respective Hluttaw Election Rules was changed from “at least 180 days” into “at least 90 days”. It allowed a massive number of migrant workers to be included in voter list if their residency is over 90 days in some constituencies especially Pha Kant, Mogoke, some mining areas and industrial zones, and there were reports by the local political parties that it was very unfair for local ethnic voters who have been living in these constituencies. [2]

 Section 39 (a) of respective Hluttaw Election Rules was amended to “the township Election Sub Commission shall allocate the number of polling booth for military personnel and their families on the basis of places that are out of their military compounds/bases where they can cast the votes together with other civilian eligible voters and where the other voters can cast their secret votes transparently and conveniently”. Because of the legal changes, it was reported that it was difficult for voters who live in larger military regiments and bases to travel to polling station due to the distance between their residency and polling stations, and security concerns when they had to go out of their bases in conflict areas.