Myanmar is likely to hold new general elections in the second half of 2023, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chair of the newly-formed State Administration Council, said on Sunday.

“The constitution states the limitation for the duration of the state of emergency. According to subsection (b) of Section 421, if one cannot accomplish the duties within one year of the emergency period, it permits only two extensions of the prescribed duration for a term of six months for each extension,” Xinhua news agency quoted min as saying in a televised address to the nation.

“In the meantime, we have to do the things that should be done. Then, we will take six months by August 2023 to prepare for the election according to the law,” he added.

Min’s announcement came after the Myanmar junta on July 27 announced the cancellation of the results of the 2020 general elections which were won by ousted de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

According to the announcement, the results were cancelled as the polls were not held in line with laws and were not fair, the very reasons of the February 1 coup.

Since then, Min has held the state power.

In his address on Sunday, he also pledged to hold the multi-party general elections without fail, stressing the need to create conditions to hold free and fair polls.

“We will hold briefings on findings of the previous general elections to international delegates in the near future.”

He also pledged to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

In a related development also on Sunday, the country formed a Republic of the Union of Myanmar Caretaker Government, according to an order by the State Administration Council.

Under the order, the new caretaker government will be led Min as Prime Minister and Vice Sen-Gen Soe Win as his Deputy.

The caretaker government body comprises union ministers, union attorney-general and permanent secretary of office.