STORY: Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing voted in the heavily guarded capital city of Naypyitaw on Sunday (December 28).

Dressed in civilian clothes, Min Aung Hlaing held up an ink-soaked little finger, smiling widely to reporters after casting his vote, according to footage aired by Myanmar state television MRTV.

Voters must dip a finger into indelible ink after casting a ballot to ensure they don't vote more than once.

“We guarantee that this will be a free and fair election,” the junta chief said, speaking at the polling station.

Following the initial phase on Sunday, two further rounds of voting are scheduled for January 11 and January 25, covering 265 of Myanmar’s 330 townships, although the junta does not have full control of all those areas as fighting has continued since the 2021 coup.

Nevertheless, the election has been derided by critics - including the United Nations, some Western countries and human rights groups - as an exercise that is not free, fair or credible, with anti-junta political parties not competing.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: NAYPYITAW, MYANMAR (DECEMBER 28, 2025) (MRTV – No use Myanmar)

1. (NIGHT SHOTS) VARIOUS OF VOTERS QUEUING OUTSIDE POLLING STATION

2. VOTERS REGISTERING AT POLLING STATION

3. POLL OFFICIAL IN WHITE STANDING IN FRONT OF VOTING BOOTH

4. (NIGHT SHOT) MEN OUTSIDE POLLING STATION

5. VOTERS QUEUING

6. VOTER CASTING BALLOT

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) UNIDENTIFIED POLL OFFICIAL AND SCHOOL TEACHER ASSIGNED TO ASSIST AT POLLING STATION IN NAYPYITAW, SAYING:

“There are 4,646 people registered at our polling station. We have arranged two sections for 4,000 voters, as having only one section would cause congestion. Seven ballot boxes have been set up – two for the upper house, two for the lower house, two for the regional house and one for ethnic representatives. In total, there are seven ballot boxes at our polling station.”

8. VARIOUS OF VOTERS QUEUING OUTSIDE POLLING STATION

9. VOTERS QUEUING INSIDE POLLING STATION

10. (MUTE) VOTERS REGISTERING AT POLLING DESK

11. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF POLLING OFFICIAL APPLYING INK TO VOTER’S FINGER

12. (MUTE) VOTERS SHOWING INKED FINGERS AFTER CASTING BALLOTS

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) UNIDENTIFIED VOTER AND NAYPYITAW RESIDENT, SAYING:

“I would say everything is very good. The booths have good privacy. The process is very fast, and we can check that our ballot is counted.”

14. (MUTE) VOTERS INSIDE POLLING STATION

15. VARIOUS OF VOTERS QUEUING TO CAST BALLOTS

SHOWS: NAYPYITAW, MYANMAR (DECEMBER 28, 2025) (MRTV – No use Myanmar)

1. MYANMAR JUNTA CHIEF, MIN AUNG HLAING, ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION, STEPPING OUT OF CAR

2. VARIOUS OF MIN AUNG HLAING READING ELECTION INFORMATION BOARD

3. MIN AUNG HLAING WALKING INTO POLLING STATION

4. (MUTE) MIN AUNG HLAING SHOWING IDENTIFICATION CARD TO POLL OFFICIAL

5. (MUTE) MIN AUNG HLAING SIGNING DOCUMENT, RECEIVING RETURNED IDENTIFICATION CARD / WALKING TOWARDS VOTING BOOTH

6. (PART MUTE) VARIOUS OF MIN AUNG HLAING CASTING VOTE AT ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINE INSIDE BOOTH

7. (MUTE) MIN AUNG HLAING WALKING OUT FROM VOTING BOOTH

8. (MUTE) POLL OFFICIAL APPLYING INDELIBLE INK TO MIN AUNG HLAING’S FINGER

9. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF MIN AUNG HLAING WALKING OUT OF POLLING STATION, TOWARDS MEDIA

11. (MUTE) MIN AUNG HLAING HOLDING UP INKED FINGER

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) MYANMAR JUNTA CHIEF, SENIOR GENERAL MIN AUNG HLAING, SAYING:

“You can see that our free and fair election is taking place today. We had good preparation from the authorities, political parties, and the election commission. We will have preliminary results in the evening.”

13. WHITE FLASH

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) MYANMAR JUNTA CHIEF, SENIOR GENERAL MIN AUNG HLAING, SAYING:

“We guarantee that this will be a free and fair election. Our reputation cannot be ruined by this election being conducted by the military. I recall that the 2020 election turned out very badly and damaged the country’s image. It was shame. Some people (Aung San Suu Kyi led government) ignored the result. I knew the results of the 2020 election because I checked the process myself.”

15. WHITE FLASH

16. (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) MYANMAR JUNTA LEADER, SENIOR GENERAL MIN AUNG HLAING, SAYING:

"It was very bad. The past situation led to the present situation because the results were not understandable at all. You will see how our election proceeds. The next phases will be on January 11 and January 25. Then you can comment on us when the results from all three phases, including today’s election, are out.”

17. (MUTE) VARIOS OF MIN AUNG HLAING SHOWING INKED FINGER TO REPORTERS