Court rejects parliament petition on charter change process

Court rejects parliament petition on charter change process

Court rejects parliament petition on charter change process
A copy of the contract in the form of an accordion-style paper, symbolizing legal king, sits on a beautiful box under a light at Democracy Monument. ( Bangkok Post file photo )

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday rejected a plea from the legislature asking for a decision regarding whether the law can be changed before a referendum is held and how many polls may be held during the process of changing the charter.

According to the court’s business, seven judge judges on the chair voted unanimously to accept the petition. Additionally, the petition requested that the court decide whether to include a suggested motion for policy amendment on the court’s agenda.

The courts argued that the decision had already been made and that parliament’s authority was unaffected by this circumstance. The legislature leader already has the power to put the issue on parliament’s plan in line with meeting rules, the judges said.

A contract rewrite could not be carried out without a vote being held second, the court had earlier said. A earlier, favorable referendum vote is required, according to the court, to amend significant portions of the charter or to change it entirely. Yet, the ruling did no spell out how many elections are needed.

Speaking after the court’s ruling, Parit Wacharasindhu, a Move Forward Party ( MFP ) spokesman and list MP, called on parliament president, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, to put on parliament’s agenda charter amendment bills proposed by the Pheu Thai and MFP parties.

Mr Parit also said the coup-appointed lawmakers, who are coming to the end of their name, should not hinder the law act process. The MFP has argued that a contract writing assembly members must be elected, and it has endorsed Pheu Thai’s proposal to carry two polls on the amendment. The plan to amend the military-sponsored 2017 law, which was one of the ruling party ’s election commitments, is a priority matter for the coalition state.

Due to a 2021 Constitutional Court decision that the consumer must approve any attempt to alter the whole charter, the referendum is a contentious issue. If a update is approved, another referendum may be held to review the information. To find common ground on how the 2017 law should be amended, the authorities established a commission to create rules for holding a vote.