Myanmar to hold first phase of general elections on December 28

Myanmar's military-appointed election commission announced Monday that elections will begin December 28, setting a date for polls that critics have denounced as a sham intended to normalize the army's 2021 seizure of power even as armed conflict rages throughout much of the country.

- AGENCIES

The Union Election Commission said in a statement sent to journalists that the elections will be conducted in phases over several days and that a full schedule will be released soon.

A separate statement from the commission, published Saturday in the state-run Myanma Alinn newspaper, said that all 330 townships in the country have been designated as constituencies for the election.

Nearly 60 parties, including the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, have registered to run, according to the list on the commission's website.