BANGKOK, July 19 (TNA) – The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases has accepted a complaint against the Election Commission (EC), which accuses the EC chairman and six election commissioners of hurriedly forwarding the iTV shareholding case against Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat to the Constitution Court to discredit him before the first prime minister vote.
The court on Tuesday accepted the complaint filed by a lawyer Yongyut Saokaewsathit. The plaintiff accused the EC as the government officials of acting dishonestly by issuing announcements and regulations in favour of the ruling parties to win the election and retain its power. He alleged that their suspicious actions were drawing constituency boundaries, designing election ballots that differed from those used in the previous polls and printing seven million extra ballots that outnumbered the eligible voters.
The EC is duty bound to examine and verify the qualifications of MP candidates including Pita after their applications to contest in the election but they failed to fulfill their duties until the election was held and Ruengkrai Leekitwattana submitted a complaint against Pita for allegedly holding shares of the ITV plc. The constitution prohibits lawmakers from holding the media shares.
Before contesting the election, Pita completed his term as an MP in the opposition bloc and the EC had never questioned his eligibility.
The plaintiff accused the EC of failing to investigate, interrogate, or make detailed judgments in proceeding Pita’s shareholding case. The poll body rushed to forward recommendations to the Constitutional Court for consideration to strip Pita of MP status to discredit him and his party before the parliamentary voting for prime minister on July 13.
The Criminal Court accepted the complaint against the EC and set a date to announce whether to hear the case on Aug 8. (TNA)
