CDA debate nears halfway as govt wins vote
Parliament has voted to back a government-sponsored provision on the charter amendment bill - and yesterday's debate reached almost a halfway point following the second reading on seven of 17 key clauses. The 17 key clauses deal with the formation of th
The debate had stalled for three days over clause No 291/6. It specified the rules for the parliamentary election of 22 CDA members from a pool of academics and professionals. The Democrats had questioned the mandate on candidacy nominations they said were vested in the Parliament president.
In the coalition’s rebuttal, Pheu Thai MP Samart Kaewmechai said it was a misunderstanding that the Parliament president would have the mandate to nominate candidates.
The nominations would be compiled by respective academic institutions and professional groups, vetted by a committee and voted on by Parliament while the president would merely put the list of candidates up for the vote, he said.
He said the rules of parliamentary vote on the CDA conformed with voting practice on past charter writers.
After coalition and opposition lawmakers had completed airing their views on the issue, the House-Senate session cast the 337-to-50 votes to approve the clause.
The debate then moved on to focus on clause No291/7 – specifying rules to convene Parliament to debate the CDA work should there be a House dissolution before the completion of the charter change.
As committee chairman in charge of vetting the bill, Samart said the clause was designed to ensure the charter rewrite could proceed uninterrupted even if the House was dissolved.
Following a three-hour debate, parliament passed the second reading of the clause by the 352-to-109 votes.
The debate continues on clause No291/8.
