Myanmar to hold presidential election on Wednesday

The Myanmar presidential election will be held on Wednesday to fill the vacancy left by U Htin Kyaw, who resigned from the post last week, the Union Parliament announced Monday.

The announcement was made by Parliament Speaker U Mahn Win Khaing Than, reports Xinhua.

The election will be contested among three vice presidents -- U Myint Swe, U Henry Van Thio and U Win Myint. U Win Myint was elected as Vice President last week from the House of Representatives (Lower House).

U Win Myint, of the National League for Democracy (NLD), was the former speaker of the House of Representatives who also resigned from the post last week to pave the way for the election.

Meanwhile, a day following the resignation of U Win Myint as speaker of the House of Representatives, his deputy U T Khun Myat was elected as the new speaker of the House of Representatives.

The current parliament and government began their terms of five years from February and April 2016, respectively, under the leadership of the ruling NLD which won an absolute majority in the general election in November 2015.

--IANS

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