Court demands list of witnesses, proof from EC in Move Forward case

The Election Commission (EC) has been instructed by the Constitutional Court to submit its list of witnesses and evidence in its petition against the Move Forward Party before the next hearing on June 18.

The nine constitutional court judges convened on Wednesday to hear EC’s petition to dissolve Move Forward. The party had submitted its written defence on June 4.

In the petition, the EC accused Move Forward of having behaved in a manner that can be seen as a move to overthrow the constitutional monarchy and acted in hostility to the democratic ruling system with the King as head of state. The EC alleges that Move Forward violated Article 92 (1) and (2) of the Political Party Act.

The EC also based its petition on the Constitutional Court’s ruling on January 31, which found that then-Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s election promise to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code or the lese majeste law was unconstitutional and could be seen as a move to overthrow the constitutional monarchy.

The EC asked the court to dissolve the party and ban its executive board from politics.

After reviewing the case on Wednesday, the court resolved to ask the EC to compile a list of witnesses and evidence and submit it to the court no later than Monday (June 17).