Nay Pyi Taw, Nov 27 (IANS): Myanmar parliament's upper house Thursday adopted a draft nationwide referendum law on constitution amendment, parliament sources said.

According to Speaker U Shwe Mann, the referendum will be held in May next year, ahead of which parliament is to work out a draft constitution amendment law, Xinhua reported.

The lower house passed the draft nationwide referendum law a week ago.

The result of the nationwide referendum on whether the constitution be changed will be applied in the next parliament that will be formed after the general elections in 2015. These will be held under the existing 2008 constitution.

In a recent parliament debate over amendment to the constitution, the non-elected military MPs, who account for 25 percent of the legislative body, opposed the widespread call for constitutional change, including the change of two sensitive sections -- Section 436 and Section 59 (f).

Section 436 prescribes that amendment to the constitution needs the approval of more than 75 percent of all parliament members, while Section 59 (f) bars anyone from the presidency whose parents, spouse, legitimate offspring or spouse of offspring are foreign citizens.

The next general elections are set to take place near the end of 2015.