The main point of contention stands over the redrawing of election rules to restrict campaigning in a number of ways, including the reduction of the standard campaign period to only one month in most constituencies, rather than the three months that were provided for Myanmar’s 2012 by-elections and the prevention of anyone campaigning on behalf of a candidate without receiving prior approval from the Union Election Commission.

U Aye Thar Aung, a leader of Rakhine National Party believes the new rules are a step backwards and told Mizzima that the planned elections may be free but would not be fair.

“If the government is on its way to democracy, such restrictions should not be imposed,” he said.

U Thar Win, secretary of the Union Solidarity and Development Party for Yangon Region told Mizzima that he believed the upcoming by-elections would be both free and fair.

U Aung Kyi Nyunt MP (Amyotha Hluttaw, National League for Democracy, Magway Region) told Mizzima he believed“There should be no restrictions in free and fair elections.”
 
U That Zin Aung of the New Myanmar Foundation, a body who have been appointed to monitor the 2014 by-elections said that they saw the new imposed rules as unfair.

“The commission is acting in a manner that they do not have the jurisdiction for,” he said.

Ko Jimmy of the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society group who were involved in the monitoring of the 2012 by-election said that there must be cooperation by the people to demand that future elections be held in a free and fair elections manner.

“We must particularly monitor the use of pre-voting again,” said Ko Jimmy.

A 2012 by-election report issued by 88 Generation stated that in 2010 elections, 10 percent of the electorate used pre-voting but for the 2012 by-election, that number had decreased to 3.3percent.