THE State Peace and Development Council last week announced the appointment of a 54-member commission to draft a new constitution.

The Chief Justice, U Aung Toe, was appointed chairman of the Commission for Drafting the State Constitution, the October 18 announcement said.

The appointment of the commission follows the completion last month of the National Convention, which adopted guidelines for the constitution. The guidelines, or principles, included a recommendation to establish a multiparty democratic system with executive power held by an elected president.

When the constitution is enacted it will be Myanmar’s third since independence in 1948.

The SPDC announcement, signed by Secretary-1 of the SPDC Lieutenant General Thein Sein, said the appointment of the commission marked the start of the third step in the seven-stage roadmap for a transition to democracy unveiled in August 2003.

The fourth step in the roadmap will be a national referendum to approve the constitution, which will be followed by the holding of elections.

The National Convention, which first met from 1993 to 1996, reconvened in May 2004 as the first step of the roadmap.

The convention, which met 11 times during the past 14 years, completed its work on September 3.

The members of the commission include Information Minister Brigadier General Kyaw Hsan, Cultural Minister Major General Khin Aung Myint, Attorney General U Aye Maung and the government’s legal advisor, U Thaung Nyunt. All four were members of organising committees for the National Convention.

Other members of the commission include legal experts, academics, historians, writers, agriculturalists, doctors and businesspeople.