THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Meechai seeks to ease concern over calculation method for MPs

Meechai seeks to ease concern over calculation method for MPs

Meechai Ruchupan, head of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC), on Monday gave an assurance that the formula for the calculation of MP seats would not be so complicated that it affected the announcement of general election results.

The formula has been devised by the Election Commission (EC) itself, he said, adding that the agency would be in charge of the whole election process.
His remarks came after the CDC and the EC last Friday held a press conference explaining how the calculation for establishing the number of seats each party had in the House of Representatives worked.
This prompted concern that the sophisticated method devised by the electoral agency could cause confusion and have a negative impact on the national poll.
Some people have also raised the issue of instability in the next government as a result of the calculation method.
As the mixed-member apportionment or single-ballot system would make it difficult for any party to be an outright winner, a coalition government formed after the election could be weak, observers fear.
Meechai, however, dismissed such speculation, insisting that if a party managed to win masses of votes, they would have a bigger share of seats in the House.
However, he acknowledged that in the event that the leading party already had more constituency MPs than its apportioned share, then its party-list MPs would not have any seats in the House.
The CDC chief insisted that the new election system would truly reflect the people’s wishes.
In any constituency where the majority of voters abstained, the poll would be null and void, and all candidates would be banned from recontesting in that constituency, he added.
The chief charter-drafter also said the organic bill on MPs, which deals with the new election method, had not yet been completed.
It is being deliberated alongside the organic bill on the Senate in order to ensure that the provisions in the two pieces of legislation are properly coordinated and do not pose practical problems when they are enacted, he explained.

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