Multi-party general election begins in Myanmar

In addition to the USDP, the main challenging parties in terms of the most number of candidates go to the U Tun Yi-led National Unity Party (NUP), reorganized from the previous government's disbanded ruling Myanmar Socialist Program Party, and the U Than Nyein-led National Democratic Force (NDF), a break-away party from the disbanded National League for Democracy (NLD).

The others go to Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics, Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, Democratic Party (Myanmar).

Regionally speaking, 15 parties and 26 independent delegates contest in Yangon region, while 10 parties and 6 independent delegates in Mandalay region

According to the new constitution, the military possesses non- elected parliamentary seats, which is 25 percent in each of the parliaments -- union parliament and region or state parliament. The military-represented parliamentary seats are nominated by the commander-in chief of the defense services.

The polling booths will close on the day at 4 p.m. local times (0930 GMT), which will be followed by open counting of votes in the presence of the public.

Under the new state constitution, the present general election is being held as the fifth step of the seven-step roadmap.

According to the new constitution, the name of Myanmar is the Republic of Union of Myanmar. It designates that Nay Pyi Taw is the country's capital and stands as a union region directly under President's administration and the country's inalienable administrative regions are demarcated as seven regions (previously known as divisions) and seven states of national races as well as five self-administered zones of ethnic minorities and one self- administered division of another minority.