Myanmar is going to the polls in an election widely dismissed as a sham, with major political parties dissolved, many of their leaders jailed and as much as half the country unlikely to vote because of an ongoing civil war, BBC reported. 

The military government is holding a phased ballot nearly five years after it seized power in a coup, which sparked widespread opposition and spiralled into a civil war.

Observers say the junta, with China's support, is seeking to legitimise and entrench its power as it seeks a way out of the devastating stalemate, according to BBC.