Naypyidaw, Myanmar (BBN)-The vote to appoint a new president in Myanmar has been brought forward by a week, to 10 March.
The move likely means an end to negotiations on whether the constitution could be amended so Aung San Suu Kyi could take the top job, reports BBC.
Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) won a general election landslide victory in November and will take office at the end of March.
But she is barred by the constitution from being the president.
Clause 59F, widely seen as having been included to target her, means anyone who has foreign children cannot take the post.
She has consistently said she will effectively lead the country anyway.
The original date for the nominations had been 17 March, which was seen as giving time for the NLD to negotiate with the military.
The new president will be elected by the upper and lower house from a list of three candidates put forward by MPs.
The NLD dominates both houses after taking 80 per cent of contested seats in the election.
But the military, which ran Myanmar for decades, still has an automatic 25 per cent of all seats.
NLD official Win Htein told the BBC the party would now focus on trying to change the constitution from within.
“Aung San Suu Kyi will still become president anyhow. It’s only the matter of sooner or later,” he said.
BBN/SK/AD