The Union Election Commission has proposed a nationwide postponement on the election just 26 days before the planned date November 8, citing concerns that flooding could stop some people from voting.

The National League for Democracy has opposed any delay, while the Union Solidarity and Development Party, the Myanmar Farmers Development Party and the National Development Party all backed the proposal.

Commission chair U Tin Aye raised the idea at a meeting with the country’s 10 largest parties in Nay Pyi Taw this morning. While the meeting came a day after the commission announced the cancellation of voting in hundreds of village tracts in ethnic areas due to security concerns, the UEC did not give this as a reason for delaying the election, according to senior NLD member U Win Htein, who attended the meeting.

Instead, U Tin Aye said that the lingering effects of flooding that swept the country in July and August, killing more than 100 people, cast doubt on whether the election could be held fairly in flood-hit areas.

The parties were invited based on the number of candidates registered in the election. Three ethnic parties – the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy and the Kayin People’s Party – were absent.

The National Unity Party, the National Democratic Force and the Arakan National Party said they were “neutral” on the plan.

No decision was announced at the conclusion of the meeting. However, NLD delegate U Win Htein said he expected the UEC to issue a formal announcement in coming days confirming the delay.

According to the law, the election must be held between 90 and 30 days prior to the convening of the next parliament, which is scheduled for January 30, 2016.