Candidates of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), the fourth biggest political party that will also be contesting in Sagaing division, are reportedly considering quitting contesting the elections which will be held on Sunday due to “extensive and unlawful” advance voting by election commissions, according to local sources.

“The Kyarphyu (White Tiger, a well-known name for SNDP) members are not satisfied with the advance voting because it was not only the local authorities but also the election commissions urging people to vote for the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP),” a local resident close to a SNDP member said.

During the week, election commissions and local authorities in Ban Mawk township were reported using loudspeakers and openly exhorting people to vote for the USDP while urging them to cast advance votes, a local resident from the area said.

“The election commissions and local authorities together travelled from place to place and told people to go and give their names for the advance vote at their offices. We just had to give our names, and they gave the mark themselves for us,” a voter said.

But most of the marks that the authorities did were for votes supporting the USDP, he said.

“In some areas, they told us to tick in the USDP box on the ballot paper. But in some areas the authorities marked in the box by themselves,” another voter told SHAN.

In the wake of such activities, SNDP candidates are reportedly planning to lodge a complaint with the division election commissions, according to SNDP’s information department.

“If there is no action taken by the EC, our candidates there will take into consideration whether they should continue the contest or not,” he said.

The SNDP candidates that will contest in Ban Mawk township are  U Kyaw Nyunt who will contest a seat for lower house, U Ma Kyin a candidate for Ban Mawk constituency No.1 and Sai Aung Soe Htun is to contest from constituency No.2.

Similarly, SNDP candidates that are competing in other parts of the country, Northern Shan State’s Hsenwi have reportedly experienced the same kind of problems and the party members lodged a complaint to the district election commissions. However, the local authorities have reportedly continued the advance voting activities despite the district election commissions’ order to stop, according to local residents in Hsenwi.

As the elections day draws near, the election commissions across the country are reportedly rushing up the advance voting. Vote buying and intimidation of voters by the USDP is also widely reported across the country.