Chairman of poll agency defends handling of media shares case
The Election Commission (EC) can forward the case involving Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s previous iTV shareholdings to the Constitutional Court without having to wait for him to furnish his defence, EC chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong said.
He said a meeting of election commissioners on Wednesday looked at a letter sent by Mr Pita asking the poll agency to follow its regulations regarding its investigation process.
Mr Ittiporn said the meeting concluded that the poll agency had complied with related laws and regulations.
The EC’s inquiry panel handled the case in line with Section 82 of the constitution, which allows the poll agency to forward the case to the court if the agency finds sufficient grounds to disqualify an MP, Mr Ittiporn said.
In Mr Pita’s case, the inquiry panel did not investigate any violation of the election law or political parties law, which requires the EC to bring formal charges against suspects first, Mr Ittiporn said.
He said the EC’s main committee had received the inquiry panel findings and will consider them in detail today. The EC will inform Mr Pita in writing of the outcome of its meeting shortly, the EC chairman said.
On Monday, Mr Pita sent a letter to the EC to protest any decision by the poll agency to forward the case to the Constitutional Court.
In it, Mr Pita said the EC’s inquiry panel had not yet informed him of the facts, information and legal grounds for its investigation, citing the EC’s regulations on its investigation process.
He called on the inquiry panel to send him the information so he can prepare and submit his defence to the agency.
Mr Pita, who is the MFP’s sole prime ministerial candidate, stands accused of being ineligible to contest the election because he held 42,000 shares in iTV, which is believed by some critics to still be a functioning media company when he registered his candidacy for the May 14 election.
Mr Pita denies the allegation, saying he only served as executor of the family’s inherited shares.
The constitution bars individuals with media shareholdings from running for public office.
Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn previously said if the court accepts the case for consideration, it can order Mr Pita’s suspension as an MP, which could affect voting for a new prime minister tomorrow.
A court’s consideration of the case or a suspension order could be cited by senators as a reason to abstain from voting for Mr Pita as they might feel the vote could be problematic due to Mr Pita’s alleged ineligibility, he said.
Writing on Facebook yesterday, Senator Wanlop Tankhananurak dismissed as untrue a claim that at least 20 senators would back Mr Pita’s bid for prime minister in tomorrow’s vote.
He referred to a graphic featuring the pictures of 20 senators appearing on social media, which claimed that the pictured senators would vote for Mr Pita. Mr Wallop wrote that only 10 admitted they would support Mr Pita.
In a video posted on Facebook yesterday, Mr Pita sent a message to MPs and senators, saying Thailand should be allowed a democratic majority government in accordance with the people’s will when they vote for a new prime minister tomorrow.
He said the vote would not just be a vote for him or the MFP but a chance to confirm that Thailand will move forward along a normal democratic path.