Pyidaungsu Hluttaw
Encyclopedia
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is the national-level bicameral legislature
of Myanmar
(officially known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) established by the 2008 National Constitution
. The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is made up of two houses, the Amyotha Hluttaw
, a 224-seat upper house as well as the Pyithu Hluttaw
, a 440-seat lower house .
Each of the fourteen major administrative regions and states has its own local Hluttaw--Region Hluttaw or State Hluttaw .
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is housed in a 31-building complex, which is believed to represent the 31 planes of existence
in Buddhist cosmology
, located in Zeya Theddhi Ward of Naypyidaw
.
Members of the first Pyidaungsu Hluttaw were elected in the Burmese general election
on 7 November 2010.
The hluttaw historically refers to the council of ministers in the king's court in pre-colonial Burma (Myanmar). Hluttaw's origins trace back to the Pagan era when King Htilominlo
(r. 1210–1234) created a privy council
of senior ministers to manage the day-to-day affairs of the government. During the Konbaung dynasty
, the hluttaw was the center of government, divided into three branches, namely fiscal, executive, and judicial. Since the colonial times, hluttaw has been used to describe a parliament or legislative body. The Byedaik acted as the Privy Council, maintaining the inner affairs of the royal court, whereas the Hluttaw managed the kingdom's government. The Hluttaw, as tradition, also had the duty of selecting the heir-apparent, whenever the incumbent king did not select one.
and the Pyithu Hluttaw
, whose seat numbers were determined by the population size of respective constituencies.
.
From 1974 to 1988, under the 1974 Constitution, Burma's legislative branch was a one-party legislature consisting of a unicameral chamber, the Pyithu Hluttaw (the People's Assembly), represented by members of the Burma Socialist Programme Party
. Each term was four years. (In August 2010, the old Hluttaw complex on Yangon
's Pyay Road
used by Gen. Ne Win
's military government
was slated for occupation by Yangon Division
government offices.)
.
(Pyithu Hluttaw) and the 224-seat House of Nationalities
(Amyotha Hluttaw). The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw consists of 664 members total. 75% of MPs (498 members) are directly elected by voters, while the remaining 25% (166 members) are military personnel appointed by the Defence Services' Commander-in-Chief. This policy is similar to Indonesia's New Order
model (as part of the dwifungsi
doctrine), which guaranteed a number of parliamentary seats to military appointees.
for all Burmese citizens
above the age of 18 and on a given constituency's roll of eligible voters. Voters are constitutionally guaranteed the right to vote via secret ballot
. However, members of religious orders (including members of the Buddhist Sangha
), prisoners, mentally unsound persons, and indebted persons are not allowed to vote for members of Parliament. Voting is not compulsory. Burmese elections practise the First-past-the-post voting system (winner takes all), in which the candidate who receives the highest number of votes is elected.
In the 2010 election, state media reported a voter turnout of 77.26%. Advance voting was also widely practiced, with military personnel and their family members, as well as civil servants, police force personnel and other state employees instructed to vote in advance. This was in violation of the 2010 electoral laws, which only allow advance voting for eligible voters who are away from their constituencies as well as overseas Burmese citizens. In some constituencies, up to 95% of cast ballots were done in advance. An estimated 10% of votes (6 million) were cast in advance. There were also reports of multiple voter fraud, voter manipulation, ghost voting and coerced voting, in which individuals were pressured to vote for Union Solidarity and Development Party
candidates by officials.
The first regular session of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw must be held within 15 days of the commencement of the Pyithu Hluttaw
's first session. At least one regular session must be held per year, and subsequent sessions must be held within 12 months of each other. Special or emergency sessions can be convened by the President
. Parliamentary sessions are only valid if 25% of MPs are present.
The first session of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw was held from January to March 2011, while the second is to be summoned on 22 August 2011. Journalist
s were not allowed to attend the first session. However, the Ministry of Information announced on 12 August 2011 that they would be permitted to attend the second session.
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
(officially known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) established by the 2008 National Constitution
Constitution of Burma
The Constitution of Burma ) has changed several times since the country became independent from the United Kingdom. Burma's third and current constitution was published in September 2008 after a referendum.-1947 Constitution:...
. The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is made up of two houses, the Amyotha Hluttaw
Amyotha Hluttaw
The Amyotha Hluttaw is the upper house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Burma . It consists of 224 member of which 168 are directly elected and 56 appointed by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The last elections to the Amyotha Hluttaw were held in November 2010...
, a 224-seat upper house as well as the Pyithu Hluttaw
Pyithu Hluttaw
The Pyithu Hluttaw is the lower house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Burma . It consists of 440 members of which 330 are directly elected and 110 appointed by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The last elections to the Pyithu Hluttaw were held in November 2010...
, a 440-seat lower house .
Each of the fourteen major administrative regions and states has its own local Hluttaw--Region Hluttaw or State Hluttaw .
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is housed in a 31-building complex, which is believed to represent the 31 planes of existence
Plane (esotericism)
In esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the physical plane is conceived as a subtle state of consciousness that transcends the known physical universe....
in Buddhist cosmology
Buddhist cosmology
Buddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of the Universe according to the canonical Buddhist scriptures and commentaries.-Introduction:...
, located in Zeya Theddhi Ward of Naypyidaw
Naypyidaw
Naypyidaw is the capital city of Burma, also known as Myanmar. It is administered as the Naypyidaw Union Territory, as per the 2008 Constitution. On 6 November 2005, the administrative capital of Myanmar was officially moved to a greenfield 3.2 km west of Pyinmana, and approximately...
.
Members of the first Pyidaungsu Hluttaw were elected in the Burmese general election
Burmese general election, 2010
A general election was held in Burma on 2010, in accordance with the new constitution which was approved in a referendum held in...
on 7 November 2010.
Pre-colonial era
Htilominlo
Htilominlo was king of Pagan dynasty of Burma from 1210 to 1234. His 24-year reign marked the beginning of the gradual decline of Pagan dynasty. It was the first to see the impact of over a century of continuous growth of tax-free religious wealth, which had greatly reduced the potential tax base...
(r. 1210–1234) created a privy council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
of senior ministers to manage the day-to-day affairs of the government. During the Konbaung dynasty
Konbaung dynasty
The Konbaung Dynasty was the last dynasty that ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885. The dynasty created the second largest empire in Burmese history, and continued the administrative reforms begun by the Toungoo dynasty, laying the foundations of modern state of Burma...
, the hluttaw was the center of government, divided into three branches, namely fiscal, executive, and judicial. Since the colonial times, hluttaw has been used to describe a parliament or legislative body. The Byedaik acted as the Privy Council, maintaining the inner affairs of the royal court, whereas the Hluttaw managed the kingdom's government. The Hluttaw, as tradition, also had the duty of selecting the heir-apparent, whenever the incumbent king did not select one.
British Burma
From 1935 until independence, Burma was administered under the 1935 Government of Burma Act. During this period, the colonial Legislature consisted of two chambers, the 36-seat Senate and the 132-seat House of Representatives.Union of Burma
From 1947 to 1962, under the 1947 Constitution, Burma's legislature, called the Union Parliament, consisted of two chambers, the 125-seat Lumyozu HluttawChamber of Nationalities
The Chamber of Nationalities was the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Burma from 1948 to 1962. Under the 1947 Constitution, bills initiated and passed by the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, were to be sent to the Chamber of Nationalities for review and revision...
and the Pyithu Hluttaw
Pyithu Hluttaw
The Pyithu Hluttaw is the lower house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Burma . It consists of 440 members of which 330 are directly elected and 110 appointed by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The last elections to the Pyithu Hluttaw were held in November 2010...
, whose seat numbers were determined by the population size of respective constituencies.
Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
From 1962 to 1974, there was no functional hluttaw in existence, as the ruling government was the socialist Revolutionary CouncilRevolutionary Council
Revolutionary Council may refer to:* Council of Islamic Revolution, a group of clerics and experts who chose by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 to manage Islamic revolution of Iran and then legislate for the Interim Government of Iran...
.
From 1974 to 1988, under the 1974 Constitution, Burma's legislative branch was a one-party legislature consisting of a unicameral chamber, the Pyithu Hluttaw (the People's Assembly), represented by members of the Burma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party was formed by the Ne Win's military regime that seized power in 1962 and was the sole political party allowed to exist legally in Burma during the period of military rule from 1964 until its demise in the aftermath of the popular uprising of 1988.-History:The BSPP...
. Each term was four years. (In August 2010, the old Hluttaw complex on Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
's Pyay Road
Pyay Road
Pyay Road is a major thoroughfare of Yangon, Burma and the first stage of the National Highway 1 which eventually leads to Mandalay. It crosses the western-central side of the city in a north-south direction...
used by Gen. Ne Win
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...
's military government
Burma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party was formed by the Ne Win's military regime that seized power in 1962 and was the sole political party allowed to exist legally in Burma during the period of military rule from 1964 until its demise in the aftermath of the popular uprising of 1988.-History:The BSPP...
was slated for occupation by Yangon Division
Yangon Division
Yangon Region is an administrative region of Myanmar. Located in the heart of Lower Myanmar, the division is bordered by Bago Region in the north and east, the Gulf of Martaban in the south, and Ayeyarwady Region in the west. Yangon Region is dominated by its capital city of Yangon, the former...
government offices.)
Union of Myanmar
Between 1988 to 2011, there was no functional hluttaw, as the ruling government was the State Peace and Development CouncilState Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
.
Composition
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is a bicameral body made up of a 440-seat House of RepresentativesPyithu Hluttaw
The Pyithu Hluttaw is the lower house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Burma . It consists of 440 members of which 330 are directly elected and 110 appointed by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The last elections to the Pyithu Hluttaw were held in November 2010...
(Pyithu Hluttaw) and the 224-seat House of Nationalities
Amyotha Hluttaw
The Amyotha Hluttaw is the upper house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Burma . It consists of 224 member of which 168 are directly elected and 56 appointed by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The last elections to the Amyotha Hluttaw were held in November 2010...
(Amyotha Hluttaw). The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw consists of 664 members total. 75% of MPs (498 members) are directly elected by voters, while the remaining 25% (166 members) are military personnel appointed by the Defence Services' Commander-in-Chief. This policy is similar to Indonesia's New Order
New Order (Indonesia)
The New Order is the term coined by former Indonesian President Suharto to characterize his regime as he came to power in 1966. Suharto used this term to contrast his rule with that of his predecessor, Sukarno...
model (as part of the dwifungsi
Dwifungsi
Dwifungsi was a doctrine implemented by Suharto's military-dominated "New Order" government in Indonesia following the removal of President Sukarno...
doctrine), which guaranteed a number of parliamentary seats to military appointees.
Amyotha Hluttaw
The Amyotha Hluttaw is the upper house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, with 12 seats accorded to each Region or State for a total of 168 directly elected seats. Of the 224 seats in the house, the remaining 56 are military appointees nominated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services.Pyithu Hluttaw
The Pyithu Hluttaw is the lower house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, with seats accorded to each of the 330 townships in the country. Of the 440 seats in this body, 330 are directly elected and 110 are military appointees nominated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services.Elections
Burmese elections are held under universal suffrageUniversal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
for all Burmese citizens
Burmese nationality law
Burmese nationality law currently recognizes three categories of citizens, namely citizen, associate citizen and naturalized citizen, according to the 1982 Citizenship Law...
above the age of 18 and on a given constituency's roll of eligible voters. Voters are constitutionally guaranteed the right to vote via secret ballot
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
. However, members of religious orders (including members of the Buddhist Sangha
Sangha
Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...
), prisoners, mentally unsound persons, and indebted persons are not allowed to vote for members of Parliament. Voting is not compulsory. Burmese elections practise the First-past-the-post voting system (winner takes all), in which the candidate who receives the highest number of votes is elected.
In the 2010 election, state media reported a voter turnout of 77.26%. Advance voting was also widely practiced, with military personnel and their family members, as well as civil servants, police force personnel and other state employees instructed to vote in advance. This was in violation of the 2010 electoral laws, which only allow advance voting for eligible voters who are away from their constituencies as well as overseas Burmese citizens. In some constituencies, up to 95% of cast ballots were done in advance. An estimated 10% of votes (6 million) were cast in advance. There were also reports of multiple voter fraud, voter manipulation, ghost voting and coerced voting, in which individuals were pressured to vote for Union Solidarity and Development Party
Union Solidarity and Development Party
The Union Solidarity and Development Party , which was registered on 2 June 2010 by the Union Election Commission as a political party, is the successor to the Burmese government's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. It is headed by Burmese President Thein Sein and...
candidates by officials.
Term
The two houses of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw are simulatenously elected, with members of parliament (MPs) serving five year terms.The first regular session of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw must be held within 15 days of the commencement of the Pyithu Hluttaw
Pyithu Hluttaw
The Pyithu Hluttaw is the lower house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Burma . It consists of 440 members of which 330 are directly elected and 110 appointed by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The last elections to the Pyithu Hluttaw were held in November 2010...
's first session. At least one regular session must be held per year, and subsequent sessions must be held within 12 months of each other. Special or emergency sessions can be convened by the President
President of Burma
The President of Burma is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and leads the executive branch of the Burmese government, and heads the Cabinet of Burma. The president is elected by members of parliament, not by the general population. The Presidential...
. Parliamentary sessions are only valid if 25% of MPs are present.
The first session of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw was held from January to March 2011, while the second is to be summoned on 22 August 2011. Journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s were not allowed to attend the first session. However, the Ministry of Information announced on 12 August 2011 that they would be permitted to attend the second session.