The Democracy and Human Rights Party (DHRP) will make an appeal to the election commission against the rejection of its candidates and send a letter to the President and the State Counsellor.

The election commission rejected four candidates from the Democracy and Human Rights Party (DHRP) — U Aadu Yaw Shi who will run for lower house seat in Sittwe Township, U Kyaw Min for lower house seat in Buthedaung Township, U Aung Hla for Arakan State parliamentary seat in Constituency-1 in Buthedaung Township, U Saw Myint for Arakan State parliamentary seat in Constituency-2 in Buthedaung Township.

The election commission also rejected the application of U Abul Tar Hay who will run for lower house seat in Buthedaung Township as an independent candidate.

The election commission rejected these candidates as they are not in conformity with Section 10 (e) of Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House) Election Law.

According to Section 10 (e) of the Pyithu Hluttaw Election Law, “Citizen who was born of parents, both or one of whom were not citizens at the time of his birth; shall not be eligible to stand for election.”

Five of six Muslim candidates in Arakan State were rejected by the election commission. Only U Aye Win (aka) Nur Muhamed from the Democracy and Human Rights Party is qualified to run for the lower house constituency in Maungdaw Township.

U Kyaw Min, Chair of the Democracy and Human Rights Party said: “Both parents must have NRC cards. I have NRC card. But the immigration department explained that the documents pertaining to my parents are not accepted as proof of being ‘citizens’. I was rejected on this single point.”

The election commission also rejected these candidates in 2015 General Elections.