Charter court judges face pressure
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Calls for the removal of the Constitutional Court judges are growing on two fronts - an ongoing pressure campaign by the red shirts, and legal proceedings to be launched by MPs and senators.
Pheu Thai Party officials said they are considering submitting a petition next week to try to remove three Constitutional Court judges, depending on whether they continue to ignore lawmakers’ calls not to block charter amendments.
Pheu Thai deputy spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard said the drafting of an open letter by 312 MPs and senators to the Constitutional Court judges is almost complete and would be sent within the next week. The letter spells out the signatories’ refusal to accept the judges’ role in reviewing charter changes.
The letter states that the court cannot agree to rule on provisions involving charter amendment because it would interfere in the work of the legislative branch, transgressing the democratic principle of separation of powers.
More than 100 government MPs have put their signatures to an impeachment drive against the three judges who accepted for review petitions involving charter amendment, which could lead to a legal impasse for the amendment drive, Anusorn said.
Deputy government whip Paichit Srivarakarn said the party had instructed its MPs not to testify before the court over the proposed amendment of Article 68 if they are summoned. The move came after some MPs failed to follow the party’s directive and asked to give testimony in a personal capacity. “If we are not united and fail to follow the policy in the same direction, there will be damage,” he said.
Responding to reports that even House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont would appear before the Constitutional Court to give a statement, Paichit said he believed Somsak would not do so, and would follow the party’s policy of not acknowledging the court’s power.
Pheu Thai Ubon Ratchatani MP Somkid Chuakong said 20 MPs who gave court testimony and refused to follow the party’s resolution not to recognise the court’s power would face punishment.
Anusorn also denied former PM Thaksin Shinawatra was involved in organising the recent red-shirt rally outside the court seeking to remove the judges, saying if Thaksin had been behind the move, he would have mobilised hundreds of thousands, not just 200 people.
Court officials filed a police complaint accusing four red-shirt leaders who spearheaded the push to remove judges of contempt of court.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said later, before leaving for Mongolia, that the red shirts had the right to continue, provided they staged a peaceful protest that was within the law.
Democrat party-list MP Ongart Klampaiboon slammed three groups of people, accusing them of sabotaging the country’s balance of power by trying to remove Constitutional Court judges whom they believe are in their way and blocking their interests.
