Rangoon - Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's political party has said that government authorities have lifted campaigning restrictions ahead of an upcoming by-election.
The removal of restrictions came just hours after the National League for Democracy (NLD) complained at a press conference that it was being denied the use of venues for rallies.
"It's a very significant change. We are still hoping for fair play," Nyan Win, a spokesman for NLD, said.
Another NLD member said that the Union Election Commission (UEC) contacted the party to say that a ban imposed on the use of sports grounds, which had prevented a rally planned for 14 February from taking place, was lifted, The BBC reports.
Earlier, the NLD had warned that by-elections might not be fair because of the restrictions.
There are 48 parliamentary seats being contested in the April 1 by-election.
Even if the NLD wins all 48 seats, the military-backed government would still have a commanding majority in parliament.
The NLD boycotted Burma's last election in 2010, but agreed to rejoin the electoral process after the military-backed government brought in a series of democratic reforms.
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