Whips, EC chief to discuss CDA election rules
Government whip Udomdej Rattanasatien said yesterday that four whips would meet with the secretary-general of the Election Commission today to discuss rules for the election of members to the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) before continuing the char
Besides Udomdej, the three other whips are for the Opposition, Senate and amendment drafting committee.
Today will be the seventh meeting of the joint houses of Parliament on revising the charter to establish the CDA. The meeting started before Songkran.
Last Saturday, the meeting showed signs that it might use the existing regulations for the election of senators instead of the regulations for the election of local officials to govern the selection of charter drafters.
Udomdej said he did not know when the second reading of the charter amendment bill would end.
“It’s up to the Democrat Party,” he said.
EC member Prapun Naikowit said that any kind of election process for CDA members was acceptable, but local election rules had some advantages.
“As an EC member, I don’t mind whatever law Parliament adopts, but it would be better if it used local election rules, because there will be no advance or overseas voting. It will save money.”
However, giving the Appeals Court the power to issue yellow and red cards to CDA candidates should be considered carefully, he said.
“We won’t know about the exact period of the court’s decision,” he said.
