Myanmar announces enactment of long-awaited election laws to pave way for historic polls

Myanmar enacts election laws, but no date for poll

YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar has announced the enactment of long-awaited laws to set the stage for an election its ruling junta has said will take place later this year.

State television in a Monday afternoon news broadcast said the junta, formally known as the State Peace and Development Council, had enacted an Election Law and a Political Parties Registration Law. It gave no further details, but said they would be published in state newspapers beginning Tuesday.

Myanmar’s military government announced in early 2008 that the country’s first election in two decades would take place in 2010, but has not yet set any date for the election. A 1990 election was won by the National League for Democracy party of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, but the military refused to relinquish power.