A multi-party parliamentary by- elections began across Myanmar Sunday morning at 6 a.m. local time with over 6.4 million eligible voters of 45 constituencies starting to go to polls and cast votes at respective polling booths.

A woman votes at a ballot station during by-elections in Yangon April 1, 2012. [Photo/China Daily via Agencies]

A total of 157 candidates -- 150 represent 17 political parties and seven represent seven individuals -- are standing for the by- elections for 45 vacant seats of parliamentary representatives scattered in 45 township constituencies in nine regions or states - - Yangon, Mandalay, Ayeyawaddy, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Bago, Magway, Mon and Shan as well as Nay Pyi Taw directly under the president's administration.

In Yangon region, over one million eligible voters from six township constituencies started to go to poll and cast votes as scheduled.

The face of the city appeared calm in early morning with lesser traffic moving about and some shops being kept open.

In Yangon's six township constituencies, scattered as Kawhmu, Thongwa, Dagon Seikkan, Mingala Taungnyunt, Hlegu and Mayangon, a total of nine parties and one individual contest for six vacant seats of House of Representatives.

The ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the National League for Democracy (NLD) constitute as the two main contestants as the two parties run all six constituencies in the Yangon region.

Other parties go to National Unity Party (NUP) with two constituencies, National Democratic Force (NDF) with three constituencies, Unity and Peace Party (UPP) with one constituency, New National Democracy Party (NNDP) with three constituencies, Myamar New Society Democratic Party (MNSD) with three constituencies, Democratic Party (Myanmar) with one constituency and Myanmar National Congress Party (MNCP) with three constituencies.

In Kawhmu township constituency, NLD candidate Aung San Suu Kyi, USDP's Dr. U Soe Min and Unity and Peace Party (UPP)'s U Tin Yi mainly challenge.

With 62 villages and wards, Kawhmu, 40 kilometers southwest to Yangon city, has 87,000 eligible voters out of a population of 135, 000 cast votes in 129 polling stations out of 635 in Yangon region.

In Dagon Seikkan township constituency, seven parties contest, while in Mingala Taungnyunt five parties, in Mayangon five parties and one individual, in Hlegu three parties and in Thongwa four parties.

Foreign diplomats and United Nations officials based in Myanmar as well as over 150 invited international observers and mediapersons from ASEAN and its dialogue partners, including the European Union and the United States have gathering early Sunday morning for free observations on the by-elections regionwise as granted by the election commission.

A week before the by-elections, the election commission announced delay of holding the polls at three constituencies out of 48 in northernmost Kachin state -- Mokaung, Bahmo and Pha-kant allegedly under security ground, saying that the election will go on at a time when security allows.

The polling booths will normally close on the day at 4 p.m. local times the latest, which will be followed by open counting of votes in the presence of polling officers, representatives of candidates and 10 witnesses from the public at the scene.

The parliamentary by-elections, the first in the new civil government, is being judged by both domestic and international communities' if the electoral process is free, fair and transparent as promised by Myanmar's Union Election Commission.