New Delhi, Jan. 27 -- Myanmar's military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party claimed Monday that it had won the country's first election since the army seized power in 2021, paving the way for a new government.

The victory of the party led by a former general was widely expected after the vote excluded major opposition parties and dissent was tightly restricted. Also, 25% of parliamentary seats were automatically reserved for the military- effectively guaranteeing control by the armed forces and its favored parties.

Critics say the polls organized by the military government were neither free nor fair, but an effort to legitimize its rule after seizing power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The takeover triggere...