Rathidaung Township authorities in Arakan have pressurized government employees to cast early votes for the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in a meeting held on Sunday in the town, said a government-employee and party source.

U Aung Myo Myint, Chairman of Rathidaung Township, told government employees at the meeting to cast early votes for the regime-backed USDP.

"Government employees in our township will cast early votes tomorrow in the town hall before we leave for rural areas to monitor polling booths. The authorities pressured us to cast early votes for the USDP during early vote casting exercise," the employee said.

Government employees from many government departments in Rathidaung will leave for rural areas throughout the township on 5 November because they have been appointed by the high authorities to monitor polling booths during the Election Day.

"We will have no chance to cast our votes on Election Day on 7 November. So the authorities have arranged early voting for us. I think most of the employees will cast early votes for the USDP because they are afraid to lose their jobs if they resist the authority's pressure," he said.

U Than Kyaw, an agriculture department official confirmed that the authorities in Rathidaung pressurized government workers, including teachers and health workers, to cast early votes for the USDP.