"On 1 April 2012, Burma held by-elections to fill 45 vacant parliamentary seats (37 in the People?s Assembly, six in the National Assembly, and two in Division Parliaments). Most of the 45 seats were vacant because the elected MPs assumed positions in the executive branch. All 45 seats were held by regime-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) MPs. The vacant seats made up less than 7% of the Parliament?s 659 seats. The by-elections were originally scheduled to take place in 48 constituencies. However, on 23 March the regime Election Commission canceled voting in three Kachin State constituencies..."