1928 Burmese general election

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1928 Burmese general election
British Burma 1937 flag.svg
  1925 November 1928 1932  

80 of the 103 seats in the Legislative Council
Turnout18%

Legislative Council elections were held in Burma in November 1928. Despite expectations that pro-government candidates would win, [1] the result was a victory for the opposition, which won 45 of the 80 elected seats. However, the People's Party, the largest opposition party, was unable to form a government. [2] Instead, the pro-British Independent Party formed the government. [2]

Contents

Electoral system

The Legislative Council had 80 elected members, who were elected in 72 constituencies. [3] Around 55% of the adult population of the country was eligible to vote in the elections. [3] Women remained barred from standing as candidates, provoking a public protest by women at the Secretariat. [3]

Results

Opposition parties won 45 seats, [1] with the People's Party receiving the most votes. [2] Sixteen independents were elected, of whom nine were thought to be pro-opposition. [1] The pro-government parties and independents lost eight seats. [1]

Voter turnout was only 18%. [4]

PartySeats+/–
People's Party 40–5
Independent Party 12–8
National Parliamentary Organisation 5New
Others46
Total1030
Source: Haruhiro Fukui [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Burmese Elections. Gains By The Opposition", The Times, 15 November 1928, p15, Issue 45051
  2. 1 2 3 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow The Irrawaddy, 3 November 2009
  3. 1 2 3 "Simon Commission In Burma. Women And Public Life" The Times, 1 February 1929, p11, Issue 45116
  4. Robert H Taylor (2009) The State in Myanmar NUS Press, p185
  5. Haruhiro Fukui (1985) Political parties of Asia and the Pacific, Greenwood Press, pp106–154