Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon has appealed to Myanmar’s government to scrap the constitutional provision which prohibits members of religious orders from voting in elections.

He is concerned that Article 392 (a) of the constitution bars Buddhist monks and nuns, Catholic priests, nuns and religious, other Christian clergy, Muslim clerics and others from the right to vote.

“As cardinal I can make statements and speeches and encourage citizens to vote, but I am myself barred from voting. This is an extremely unusual arrangement. I am not aware of any other democracy in which this is a requirement,” he said.

In a written appeal released on Feb. 6, Cardinal Bo said it was not his duty as a religious leader to identify parties or leaders to support. “But as a country soaked in a great religious tradition and where religious leaders serve as moral guides, it is the duty of every religious leader to encourage all citizens to vote for the leader and party of their choice based on values,” he asserted.