In an exclusive interview with DVB on Thursday, Tin Aye, the chairman of Burma’s Election Commission, said that the next general election will be held in November or December 2015.

“The next election will be held in late 2015, either in November or December,” he said. “In fact, I already told this to some civil society groups the other day.”

Tin Aye went on to say that a round of by-elections will take place later this year, “when the weather is good, probably around November – December.”

By-elections are currently scheduled for 30 vacant or vacated seats across both houses of parliament. The by-elections will be the last poll ahead of next year’s general election.

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Thaung Hlaing, the director of the Election Commission, said he was quoting Tin Aye responding in parliament on Thursday, saying 13 seats would be contested across the country for the People’s Parliament or Lower House (Pyithu Htuttaw), six seats for the Upper House (Amyothar Htuttaw) and 11 seats in State and Divisional assemblies.

He said the Election Commission would announce the date of the 2014 by-elections at least 30 days ahead of time.

A list of the 30 vacant seats was released:

Lower House of Parliament: Hpakant (Kachin); Banmaw (Kachin); Mogaung (Kachin); Hakha (Chin); Kamma (Magwe); Yaynanchaung (Magwe); Minpya (Rakhine); South Dagon (Rangoon); Insein (Rangoon); Latha (Rangoon); Pabaetan (Rangoon); Nam Kham (northern Shan); Pantanaw (Irrawaddy).

Upper House: Sagaing Division constituency 2; Tenasserim 2; Rakhine State 4; Rangoon Division 4; Chin State 6; Mon State 11.

State/ Division assemblies: Wine Maw 2, Kachin State; Hlaingbwe 2, Karen State; Wetlet 1, Sagaing Division; Myeik 1, Tenasserim Division; Aung Myay Thar Zan 2, Mandalay Division; Mogok 1, Mandalay Division; Gwa 2, Rakhine State; Tachileik 2, Eastern Shan State; Mong Yawng 1, Eastern Shan State; Tanyang 2, Eastern Shan State; Yay Kyi 1, Irrawaddy Division.

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