PAD will take Cabinet to court over repealing Constitution
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The People's Alliance for Democracy is to initiate a court battle targetting the Cabinet and 416 lawmakers for conspiring to repeal the Constitution and also seek judicial intervention to derail the charter rewrite.
“What the Cabinet and 416 MPs and senators are doing will result in a complete tear-up of the Constitution,” PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang said Wednesday.
Chamlong voiced suspicions as to the ulterior motive behind the government’s push for the charter change.
He said the PAD would mount its opposition via judicial proceedings, dismissing speculation that it would take part in a rally on Saturday.
He said the PAD would resume street protests against any anti-monarchy moves and against a push to grant amnesty for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
He also said the PAD would on Thursday hold a meeting with the Siam Prachapiwat academics to exchange views on the political system.
The PAD plans to cite Article 68 of the Constitution in order to petition the Office of the Attorney General to check into the constitutionality of the charter amendment bill.
The PAD contends that the bill has been designed to repeal the entire charter, a constitutional offence. Parliament has the mandate to amend the charter provisions but not to write a new charter.
Should the attorney general find cause to suspect the charter repeal, the prosecution is obliged to petition the Constitution Court to intervene and issue an injunction against the charter rewrite.
Furthermore, any political parties involved in tearing up the charter will face punishment by party disbandment.
