Myanmar’s military government has completed the first phase of a three-stage election that critics have widely dismissed as a “sham,” held amid an ongoing civil war, mass political repression, and the exclusion of major parties.

The phased vote, nearly five years after the February 2021 coup, is seen as an attempt by the junta to entrench its rule despite widespread resistance. According to the BBC, the election is being conducted in a climate where millions of citizens are unable to vote due to conflict, displacement, or security restrictions.

The first round was marked by violence, with explosions and airstrikes reported in several regions. In Mandalay, a rocket attack injured three people, while blasts in Myawaddy township near the Thai border damaged multiple homes, killing a child and wounding three others, local sources said.

Despite the unrest, some voters participated under heavy security. A first-time voter told state media she cast her ballot out of civic duty, hoping for stability, though turnout figures remain unclear.

The junta has rejected international criticism, insisting the election will lead to a “disciplined multi-party democracy.” Military chief Min Aung Hlaing voted in Nay Pyi Taw under tight security, warning that non-participation amounted to rejecting democratic progress.

Meanwhile, authorities have sentenced several prominent artists and entertainers to seven years in prison under a new law criminalising opposition to the polls. The UN has condemned the election, with Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews describing it as “political theatre performed at gunpoint.”

Voting is planned across 265 of Myanmar’s 330 townships, with large areas excluded due to insecurity. Only six parties are contesting nationwide, while dozens  including Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy remain banned, further undermining the credibility of the process.