EC plans to ask court to rule on constitutionality of draft bill
The Election Commission plans to petition the Constitutional Court to interpret and rule on the constitutionality of the EC draft bill, Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said on Wednesday.
The move was made after the joint law review committee decided after a five-hour meeting yesterday that the clauses questioned by the EC, including the resetting of the current commission membership, were constitutional, according to committee spokesperson Somchai Sawangkarn.
The panel had convened to review the controversial EC draft bill, the first of four organic laws required for the next general election.
The bill was passed by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) late last month, but the EC has since proposed a number of points, arguing against its endorsement based on what it deemed to be the questionable constitutionality of certain parts of the draft law.
The committee examined all six points made by the EC, including the total resetting – or replacement – of the current EC members, and concluded that all relevant parts of the legislation were constitutional, suggesting there would be no further amendment to the bill.
EC Somchai said he was not surprised at the committee’s decision. He said the EC would attempt to explore legal routes to protect its stance. This would take place after the NLA has voted to affirm on the committee’s resolution, he said, which is expected to take place around mid July.
