New Delhi – Burmese authorities have secretly appointed poll booth officers in Mandalay, the country's second largest city, for the forthcoming constitutional referendum.

Without prior consent, the appointees are being summoned to Township Peace and Development Council (PDC) offices and informed that they have been appointed as poll booth officers, local residents said.

"These appointments are not being openly done and have not yet reached our Ward. They previously compile a list of those to be appointed and then just inform those assigned to the job. The appointees have no prior knowledge of such appointments," a local resident from Maha Aung Myay Tharsan Ward said.

"The appointees are not willing to do this job but are forced into assuming the responsibility. They are not government servants, just civilian businessmen. They are honest and hard working businessmen," he added.

"They learn of their appointment only after the authorities invite them to their office. It is thought that the compiling of the list of would-be poll booth officers was prepared by Ward-level PDC members," he speculated.

Appointed poll booth officers are then met by Township level law officers and PDC members.

"Law officers tell the poll booth officers to try to get 'YES' votes in the referendum so that the constitution can be approved. This is what is asked of them," another local resident remarked.

Meanwhile, the Central Referendum Convening Commission met with the Mandalay Division Referendum Convening Commission on the 7th of this month.

"This meeting appeared on TV. It was attended by District PDC and Township PDC members, totaling about fifty in all. This meeting was between the Central level and its subordinate tiers down to the Township level, it has not yet reached the Ward and Village levels," he elaborated.

According to today's state-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar, Union of Burma Referendum Convening Commission members U Tin Maung and U Sai San Tin held a coordination meeting last week with the Mandalay Division Referendum Commission Chairman and District and Township Referendum Commission members on the 7th at 11 a.m.

Within a few days of that meeting the first appointments of Township level poll booth officers were revealed.