Ban Ki-moon invites his “Group of Friends  on Myanmar” and representatives of Security Council countries to a meeting on Thursday to discuss the Burmese regime's election plans.

With wide-ranging authority and discretionary power, the Election Commission could directly affect the election outcome, because of the commission members' allegiance to the regime.

Burma's Union Election Commission publishes the technical regulations for the registration of political parties, which favors elite candidates.

Credibility and inclusiveness—two key benchmarks set by the international community—have both failed even before the Burmese election begins.

If the junta fails to conduct a transparent and fair election in three key areas, the upcoming election will lack credibility in the eyes of the people and the international community.