FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

2 key electoral laws will be ready for royal okay this month: Wissanu

2 key electoral laws will be ready for royal okay this month: Wissanu

The two organic laws necessary for the next general election should be submitted for royal endorsement this month, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Friday.

The two draft laws – Political Parties Act and MP Election Act – were recently cleared by the Constitutional Court following amendments that would restore the use of two ballots and the calculation of party-list MPs by dividing the total by 100.
Wissanu said the court will soon send its verdict to Parliament, which had sought a ruling on the constitutionality of the laws.
Upon receipt of the verdict, Parliament will then forward it to the government.
The deputy PM said that traditionally, the government submits a bill for royal endorsement within 20 days after obtaining it from Parliament.

However, in this case, he expects an extra five days to be added in case of a possible appeal to the court ruling.
“The bills should be submitted for royal endorsement within December,” said Wissanu, who is in charge of the government’s legal affairs.
He added that His Majesty the King has 90 days to consider the draft laws, and hence expects them to be endorsed by March.
Wissanu also rejected speculation that the House cannot be dissolved while laws are waiting for royal endorsement.
“These are unrelated matters. The House has been dissolved before while laws were waiting to be royally endorsed. There are no rules stating that bills are voided when the House is dissolved,” he said.
He added that even if the PM dissolves the House before its four-year term ends in March, the two organic laws will be enforced before the next general election once they get the royal stamp of approval.

nationthailand