By Bernama,
Yangon : Myanmar’s referendum on a draft constitution continued Saturday morning in cyclone-hit areas in two divisions as a follow-up of an earlier referendum that was held on May 10 across the country except the disaster-torn areas.
The polling is now taking place in 47 remaining townships — 40 in Yangon and 7 in southwestern Ayeyawadedy division, China’s XINHUA reports.
People in these still-declared disaster-hit areas started going to poll to cast votes on the charter since early morning with residents townshipwide including family elders and up-to-age young people heading towards polling stations in groups or in individuals in silence.
The polling booths are set to close in late afternoon at 4 p.m. (0930 GMT) after which ballot counting will be done.
According to the polling result dealing with the earlier referendum officially published, Myanmar’s new constitution draft has already been regarded as ratified as a total of 20,786,596 voters or 92.4 percent of the turn-out eligible voters voted in favor of it.
The number of the turn-out was 22,496,660 or 99.07 percent out of 22,708,434 eligible voters in 278 townships out of 325 in the whole country.
The number of voters who voted against the constitution were 1, 375,480, while cancelled votes went to 334,584.
According to the draft constitution, the constitution draft can be ratified with the majority votes-in-favor out of the votes cast by over 50 percent of eligible voters.
There is a total population of 57,504,368 in the whole of Myanmar with up-to-age population or eligible voters accounting for 27,369,957, according to official figures.
Of the country’s population, Yangon represents 7 million, while Ayeyawaddy 6 million.
The 194-page 15-chapter 2008 Republic of Union of Myanmar Constitution was drafted by a 54-member State Constitution Drafting Commission in accordance with the detailed basic principles laid down by the National Convention.
The referendum on the new constitution draft constitutes part of the military government’s seven-step roadmap announced in 2003.
The next step is to hold a multi-party democracy general election in 2010 to produce parliament representatives to hand over power to a democratically elected civil government.