( CNN ) -- Voters in military-run Myanmar head to the polls Sunday for the first time in two decades . The West has denounced the vote -- the military junta will maintain a plurality of seats in the parliament while the remainder are contested by candidates from dozens of parties , including one formed by the military-backed former prime minister . China 's chess match with Myanmar . Additionally , Aung San Suu Kyi 's National League for Democracy , which won a landslide victory in 1990 but was not allowed to take power when the military nullified the vote , is boycotting the vote . It was disbanded by the junta earlier this year when its insistence on keeping Suu Kyi on its rolls barred it from registering for the election . Suu Kyi , a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has spent most of the last 20 years under house arrest or in prison , says she will not vote . Here 's a preview of Sunday 's vote . How many will vote ? There are about 29 million eligible voters and more than 40,000 voting stations in the country . The population is about 58 million . What are they voting for ? This is the first election since 1990 , when the National League for Democracy won a landslide -- a victory that was never acknowledged by the army . After years of stalling , now Myanmar 's military regime is holding an election , which many analysts say is nothing more than a sham to legitimize its rule . Voters will elect representatives to two houses of parliament ( instead of one as before ) and there will be 14 state/regional assemblies . The lower house , the People 's Assembly , will have 440 seats and the upper house , the Nationalities Assembly , will have 224 . There are about 900 seats in the 14 state or regional assemblies . However , with 25 percent of the seats in each of these assemblies is reserved for the military , the seats up for grabs are reduced to 330 , 168 and 665 respectively . Each voter will be casting a vote for each of these three assemblies . What about Aung San Suu Kyi ? The icon of the democracy movement remains under house arrest , her 15th year of detention . Her latest detainment was imposed after American John Yettaw swam the lake next to her house in May 2009 and spent two days in her compound , saying afterwards he was delivering a message from God . Can Suu Kyi run in the election ? Conveniently for the junta , the election law specifies that a convict can not be a member of a political party , and so Suu Kyi can not stand for election . The NLD refused to expel her in exchange for being able to register as a party in the election , hence they are now boycotting the process . However , some of their members have split and formed a new party , National Democratic Front ( NDF ) , which will take part in the election . What will happen to NLD and its members ? It is now an illegal party since members did n't register it as a party . They have been unclear about their next move , saying they will have to become a `` social movement . '' Which party does the junta favor ? The youth wing of the army , the Union Solidarity Defence Association ( USDA ) , has transformed itself into the Union Solidarity Defence Party ( USDP ) , a political party , which is expected to run uncontested in many areas . Cyclone exposed secrets but junta keeps power . Why did Thein Sein , the prime minister , and some other ministers have to resign ? He has resigned to lead USDP . Its predecessor , the USDA , had at least 26 million members , and USDP has at least 16 million party members . What are the other main parties ? The National Union Party ( NUP ) is the party of the former military strong man Ne Win . The NUP was beaten in the 1990 election by Suu Kyi 's NLD , but the army ignored the result . Some analysts speculate that a high vote for the NUP could be interpreted as a protest vote against the current regime . The National Democratic Front is a splinter group of former NLD members who think it 's better to participate in this election as a first step towards full democracy . A total of 37 parties are taking part in the election . What was the SPDC and what happens to it ? The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the junta . Officially , it will disappear as the new government is formed , but critics say the same officers will remain in power and , crucially , Senior Gen. Than Shwe is expected to remain commander in chief of the army . How much does it cost to participate ? Each candidate has to pay a US $ 500 fee for running in the election -- and the fee has been criticized as an obstacle to many who would otherwise stand for election . So if it 's a sham , does that mean nothing will change ? Some analysts say that although the vote is rigged , the paradigm is changing . With regional assemblies , ethnic groups may gain power and effect change on the ground . A president , not a general , will be head of state , and another set of elections will be held in five years , when perhaps democracy may have a better chance .
The election 20 years is the first in Myanmar in Sunday . Nobel Peace Prize can not run for office . Her party , house , has been disbanded .