Senate panel supports innovative voting laws
PUBLISHED: 28 Sep 2024 at 09: 10
A source said that lawmakers will satisfy on Monday to discuss a referendum act after an ad-hoc Senate commission proposed changing the election requirement for matters relating to law modifications.
The source claimed that the meeting was called for September 30 because the referendum bill was cited as an immediate issue.
The unique commission scrutinising the act, chaired by Pol Maj Gen Chattawat Saengphet, has completed its review and, in its statement, proposed what is known as the “double bulk” requirement for policy amendment bids, the source said.
The Senate committee’s proposed change would only apply to law amendments, according to the source.
The dual majority refers to a requirement set forth in Section 13 of the Referendum Act, which specifies two problems before a referendum effect can be deemed to be bound.
Second, more than 50 % of eligible citizens must have taken part in the election, and the majority of those who cast their ballots must approve it.
The dual majority rule has received criticism for preventing the smooth passage of necessary laws and for making it difficult for a vote to achieve the maximum requirement.
The House of Representatives changed the area to remove this provision with a second majority, allowing a referendum to be held after receiving just more than half of the caste votes.
The act bill was sent to the Senate for review after receiving overwhelming support on August 21 and receiving 409 votes in the House.
The Senate voted 179 to 5, with three nays, to pass the bill in its first checking with some lawmakers voicing criticism.
It is still to be seen how the Senate will vote on the election bill in its last reading, according to House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha on Friday. A joint council will likely be formed to sort out the differences if the Upper House votes in favor of the double majority.
The first round of the contract referendum is tentatively scheduled for February 2 of next year, when provincial council elections are held across the country, according to Nikorn Chamnong, director of the ad-hoc House commission on the election bill.
He claimed that the voter issue for the planned vote is the same and that they will be questioned if they consent to creating a new contract without altering Chapters 1 and 2. Thailand is defined as a single, undivided country with a political government and the King as the head of state in Chapter 1. Section 2 stipulates parts on aristocratic prerogatives.