Myanmar’s military junta on Thursday ended the state of emergency that had been in effect since it seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021.

According to media reports, the military junta has announced the creation of an 11-member commission, headed by Min Aung Hlaing, to conduct national elections. 

Junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing will retain control of the country in his role as interim president, overseeing the electoral process, media reports added. 

The opposition groups, comprising former lawmakers ousted during the coup, have vowed to boycott the election, which a UN expert recently described as “a sham” intended to justify the military’s ongoing hold on power.

The election, planned for December, will be the first nationwide vote since a 2021 military coup that sparked civil war and threw the Southeast Asian country into turmoil.

“The upcoming election will be held in December, and efforts will be made to ensure all eligible voters can cast their ballots,” said Min Aung Hlaing, according to media reports.

China has expressed support for the Myanmar junta’s decision to end the state of emergency. A spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that Beijing endorses Myanmar’s parties and factions resolving their differences politically within the framework of the constitution and laws.

Myanmar’s military seized control on February 1, 2021, after declaring the results of the November 2020 general elections invalid. Following the coup, the country has remained under a state of emergency for more than four years. The junta imposed emergency rule after overthrowing the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The former leader has been held at an undisclosed location since the coup. Reports indicate that she was tried behind closed doors, with no access granted to independent observers. Although the state of emergency was originally intended to last for just one year, it has since been extended every six months.