Myanmar to hold general election on November 8

Myanmar

Myanmar on Wednesday set November 8 as the date for a historic generalelection, expected to be the first contested by Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition in a quarter of a century. The announcement from the country's election commission fires the starting gun for the much-anticipated poll in the former junta-run nation, which has launched a series of reforms since the end of outright military rule in 2011.

The vote, seen as a crucial test of the country's democratic progress, will determine the elected contingent in the fledgling parliament with a president selected by the legislature later. Suu Kyi is barred by the constitution from taking the top job.

The Nobel laureate's National League for Democracy (NLD) party did not immediately confirm it would participate in the polls, although it is widely expected to make huge gains at the ballot box. "We cannot say whether we will take part right now. We need to hold a meeting to make a decision," spokesman Nyan Win told AFP.

The NLD has gone house-to-house in recent days urging people to check official voter lists and raising concerns that those displayed across the country are riddled with inaccuracies. Election officials conceded that the lists contain errors, blaming technical faults and staff shortages but insisting that there is still time to iron out many of the flaws. 

The Union Election Commission said on its website that the parliamentaryelection would take place on November 8, a Sunday, with candidates given between July 20 and August 8 to register.The United States welcomed the announcement. "We think that a credible parliamentary election is an important step," State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said at a daily briefing, adding that the US was providing technical assistance and funding to support the polls.