According to the Myanmar Times newspaper, the 11-member council is headed by Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.

The council was created in line with the 419th section of the 2008 constitution that envisions that the head of the military, to whom sovereign power is transferred, has the right to exercise legislative, executive and judicial powers himself or via a specially created governing body.

Myanmar's military launched the coup on Monday morning placing State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other senior members of National League for Democracy (NLD) in jail. The military announced a one-year state of emergency in the country, vowing to "take action" against alleged voter fraud during the November 8 general election, which saw Suu Kyi’s NLD party win resoundingly. The military said it was committed to the democratic system and vowed to hold new and fair elections when the state of emergency ends.

Global leaders overwhelmingly condemned the military coup and called for the immediate release of all political detainees.