Soldiers stand guard on a blockaded road to Myanmar's parliament in Naypyidaw on February 1, 2021. (STRINGER / AFP)

YANGON / WASHINGTON / UNITED NATIONS - Myanmar's military announced a major cabinet reshuffle hours after a state of emergency was declared on Monday as US President Joe Biden threatened to reimpose sanctions on the Southeast Asian nation.

Under the cabinet reshuffle, new union ministers were appointed for 11 ministries while 24 deputy ministers were removed from their posts, the military's statement said.

Union Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court of the Union, Chief Justices and Judges of Regional or State High Courts are allowed to remain in office, according to the military's statement.

Myanmar leaders including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, regional and state ministers and some central executive committee members of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) were detained by the military in the early hours of Monday

Members of Anti-Corruption Commission, chairman, vice chairman and members of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission will also remain in office.

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Chairmen and members of the Nay Pyi Taw Council and the Union Civil Service Board will be removed from their posts while a new chairman is appointed for the Union Civil Service Board, the statement said.

The move came after the President's Office declared a state of emergency for one year and the legislative, executive and judicial powers were handed over to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services earlier Monday.

Myanmar leaders including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, regional and state ministers and some central executive committee members of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) were detained by the military in the early hours of Monday.

A majority of the detained regional and state chief ministers were released on Tuesday morning, a senior military official told Xinhua.

"There may be a reshuffle among chief ministers by appointing qualified ones," he said.

In Washington, Biden called for a concerted international response to press the military to relinquish power.

Biden condemned the military’s move as “a direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the rule of law.”

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“The international community should come together in one voice to press the Burmese military to immediately relinquish the power they have seized, release the activists and officials they have detained,” Biden said in a statement.

The World Bank said it was gravely concerned about the situation in Myanmar, warning the events risked a major setback to the country’s transition and its development prospects.

“We are concerned about the safety and security of people in Myanmar, including our staff and partners, and are troubled by the shutdown of communications channels both within Myanmar and with the outside world,” the Bank said in a statement issued late on Monday.

The Myanmar military announced earlier Monday that the Union Election Commission (UEC) will be reformed and the electoral process in the parliamentary elections held in November last year will be reviewed in accordance with the law during the state of emergency.

The military has called on the government and the UEC to review the election results, noting that there were some irregularities in the voting process in the previous months.

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"When these tasks have been completed in accord with the provisions of the State of Emergency, free and fair multiparty general elections will be held and the assigned duty of the state will be handed over to the winning party meeting norms and standards of democracy," a military statement said.

Myanmar held its multiparty general elections on Nov 8 last year and the ruling NLD won a majority of seats in both Houses of the Union Parliament.

At present, access to state-run broadcasting channels and telecommunications have resumed after being cut off for some hours across the country earlier Monday.

All local banks will resume their services starting Tuesday, Myanmar Banks Association issued a directive on Monday.  

At the United Nations, the Security Council will discuss the Myanmar situation on Tuesday, following the detention of political leaders by the military in the country.

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British ambassador to the United Nations, Barbara Woodward, whose country takes over the rotating Security Council presidency for the month of February, said the council members have agreed to bring forward the Myanmar issue given the latest developments.

"We had it on the program of work originally for discussion later this week. In discussion with council members, we have agreed now that we will move it up to discussion tomorrow, given the developments in Myanmar over the weekend," Woodward told reporters on Monday.

With Reuters inputs