EC refuses to determine govt's request on loans for farmers

The Election Commission on Tuesday rejected the government's request for it to approve an additional loan to pay farmers owed money under the rice pledging scheme.
EC's secretary general Puchong Nutrawong said his agency has no authority to consider the request. The matter is the government's consideration and decision, he said.
An EC approval was needed as required by Section 181 of the constitution, which bans a caretaker government from making any decisions which could impose financial burdens on the next government.