Charter court suspends Pita

Charter court suspends Pita
Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat raises his thumb at reporters in the parliament when he arrived for his renomination for prime minister on Wednesday. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday morning suspended Move Forward Party leader and prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat from duty as an elected member of the House of Representatives.

The court made the announcement after accepting for consideration a complaint involving  Mr Pita’s inherited shareholding in defunct media company iTV Plc. 

The constitution prohibits parliamentarians from holding stock in a media organisation. Mr Pita has argued the 42,000 shares were part of his late father’s estate, which he managed as executor. He said title had since been transferred to relatives. 

The suspension does not prevent his being nominated as prime minister, which the joint sitting was also debating on Wednesday.