The Constitution Drafting Committee’s next task is to amend the interim constitution to accommodate the attached question in the referendum which will allow senators to join House members in the vote to select the next prime minister, said CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan on Monday.
The amendment process will take about 30 days after which the amended draft will be sent to the Constitutional Court for interpretation within 30 days, he said, adding that the amendment must stick to the wordings in the referendum ballet sheet and if the CDC has any question about the wordings, it will have to enquire the National Legislative Assembly.
Mr Meechai dismissed concern that the interim charter can be amended in a way to allow the Senate to nominate the next prime minister, saying that this is not possible as the CDC has to strictly stick to the wordings in the attached question in the referendum.
Asked how many times that senators have the right to vote in the selection of the prime minister, the CDC chairman explained there is no limit on how many times provided that the selection is done within five-year period.
Although senators have the right to vote in the selection of the prime minister, Meechai said they cannot perform the duties of House representatives such as to censure the government.
Hence, if the prime minister does not have the support of the majority of the House members, he won’t be able to remain in the office for long, said the CDC chairman.
