DHAKA: Voting is under way in Myanmar's general election - the first openly contested poll in 25 years after decades of military rule.

The ruling Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP), backed by the military, is one of the frontrunners, reports the BBC.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) is expected to make large gains, though she is barred from running for the presidency.

Large crowds gathered in Yangon as Ms Suu Kyi arrived to cast her vote.

"I will accept the new government formed, based on the election result," the current President Thein Sein said on Friday.

About 30 million people are eligible to vote in the election in Myanmar (also known as Burma).

Clear results are not expected until Monday morning.

More than 6,000 candidates from over 90 parties are vying to be elected to the 664-seat parliament in the first national elections since a nominally civilian government took power in 2011.

However, 25% of seats are reserved for unelected military representatives, who are expected to side with the USDP.

Suu Kyi, a former Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is barred from the presidency as the constitution disqualifies anyone with foreign offspring.

On Thursday, she said she would be "above the president" if her party won. The NLD must take 67% of all contested seats in order to gain a majority.

BDST: 0946 HRS, NOV 08, 2015
RS