New Delhi, Nov. 27 -- Myanmar 's military rulers have granted amnesty to more than 3,000 political prisoners locked up for opposing army rule and dropped charges against over 5,500 others ahead of next month's election, state media reported Wednesday.

An official from Yangon's Insein Prison, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information, told the AP on Thursday that prisoner releases would begin that day, but he did not provide the numbers and names of inmates to be freed. In some past amnesties, releases have taken several days.

Outside of Insein Prison, which for decades has served as the main place of detention for political prisoners, dozens of people gathered Thursday morning to welcome fri...