Myanmar junta eases election registration rules

Myanmar’s military government on Wednesday announced an easing of election registration rules for political parties, hours ahead of the expiry of a state of emergency in place since a coup three years ago.
The junta, which has vowed to hold an election and return to democratic rule, said it had reduced the minimum threshold for party membership and the percentage of townships where one must operate.
It was not immediately clear why the change was made.
The generals have given no timeframe for holding elections and last year disbanded at least 40 parties for failing to register, among them the former ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party of ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whom the junta has jailed.
The six-month state of emergency, which has repeatedly been extended, is due to expire later on Wednesday.