YANGON - Voting for the first phase of Myanmar's 2025 multi-party democratic general election concluded on Sunday afternoon.

Voting began at 6 am local time on Sunday. At 4 pm, an election official at a polling station in Yangon's Kyauktada township announced the closure of the polling station.

Following the closure, election staff at the polling station, in the presence of domestic and international media, candidates and observers, counted the votes, including advance votes, for seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House), Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House), and State and Region Hluttaws (State and Region Parliaments).

READ MORE: Official report: Myanmar set to hold election on Dec 28

According to the Information Team of Myanmar's National Defense and Security Council, a total of 139 members of international election observation teams and representatives of the diplomatic community were present to observe and monitor the orderly and free casting of votes during the first phase of the election on Sunday.

The 2025 general election is being held in three phases. The second and third voting phases are scheduled for Jan 11 and Jan 25, 2026, respectively.

The election will cover 692 constituencies nationwide, with about 5,000 candidates from 57 political parties competing for seats in the above-mentioned three parliaments. According to the Union Election Commission, 21,517 polling stations have been set up across the country.

Final election results are expected to be announced after the completion of all voting phases.

READ MORE: Myanmar gets new union govt, to end state of emergency

Myanmar's last general election was held in November 2020.