by Hafizur Rahman
Arakan State | December 18, 2025
Myanmar’s Union Election Commission has urged voters who do not currently hold valid identification cards to apply immediately, warning that proper documents will be mandatory to cast ballots in the upcoming election.
In a letter sent to all political parties, the commission said voters will be allowed to vote only if they possess one of the following documents: a national ID card, a national registration card, an associate citizen certificate, or a naturalized citizen certificate. The requirement is based on Rules 53 (a) and (b) of the Hluttaw Election Law.
The commission acknowledged that some individuals whose names already appear on voter lists may not have valid national ID cards because their documents were lost or damaged. To prevent these voters from being excluded, the election body urged them to contact the Ministry of Immigration and Population as soon as possible.
According to the letter, affected voters are instructed to visit their respective township immigration offices and apply for replacement ID cards before election day.
The notice was signed by Ye Yint Lwin, Permanent Secretary of the Union Election Commission, on behalf of the commission’s chairman. Copies were also sent to the Ministry of Immigration and Population and relevant election offices.
The commission emphasized that possession of valid identification is a strict requirement for participating in the voting process, as preparations continue for an election planned by the military controlled authorities.
