Meechai says current EC members must have qualifications prescribed by charter
The qualifications of the current Election Commissioners should meet what is prescribed in the new Constitution otherwise there could be problems when new members with the requisite qualifications are added to the Election Commission (EC), chief charter drafter Meechai Ruchupan said on Wednesday.
Meechai said he did not know how the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) would shape the EC bill after it passed the first reading, but he stressed that the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC)’s intention in drafting the bill was to ensure the EC could function effectively under the new regulating law.
When the EC organic law passes all three readings, the CDC would look into the final revised version and would discuss whether or not it would argue differently, Meechai added.
The organic law on the EC has been rather controversial. The CDC, which was responsible for the drafting, and the EC, which would be covered by the new law, do not see eye to eye on some key issues. Among the issues was whether the current EC members should leave office if they were found to not have the qualifications prescribed by the new Constitution.
Meechai said next Monday the CDC would submit the organic law on the criminal procedure code for political office holders.
In addition, early next month, the CDC would also submit the organic law on the Ombudsman, he said, adding that currently the panel was working on the organic law on the National Human Rights Commission.
According to the recently promulgated charter, the CDC is responsible for writing 10 organic laws that would go with the charter they have written.