Burma on Friday granted a permit to participate in upcoming elections to an opposition party that split from Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.
The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper said Saturday that the National Democratic Force will join 37 other new political parties and five existing groups in contesting elections later this year. The military government has not yet set a date for the polls.
Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD will not participate in the elections. The party won the last election, held in 1990 by a landslide, but was never allowed to take power.
New election laws ban Aung San Suu Kyi from running for office. The NLD has called the laws unfair and undemocratic.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
