The Election Commission (EC) stands firm in its defense, asserting that it meticulously followed legal protocols in the matter concerning the eligibility of Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat. The EC’s response comes in the wake of criticism from Pita and other critics, who claimed that he was not given an opportunity to defend himself against the allegations before the case was sent to court.
In a statement, the EC explained that the case in question pertains to Pita’s status as a Member of Parliament (MP), which, according to evidence and belief, has ceased due to certain factors outlined as reasons for the invalidation of an MP’s status.
The electoral body stated that it has strictly followed Section 82 of the constitution, which grants it authority to promptly seek a decision from the Constitutional Court in cases where it is convinced, based on evidence, that an MP’s status has become invalid due to reasons specified in the constitution.
Citing two previous court rulings from 2019 regarding the processing of Section 82 cases, the EC clarified that it is not obliged to summon Pita to respond to the charges or defend himself, as he will have the opportunity to present his defense in court. The agency also emphasized that it had conducted a thorough examination of Pita’s ineligibility case, making its decision to refer the matter to the court based on facts and evidence gathered during the previous fact-finding investigation.
The EC noted that it is not in a position to make the final judgment on whose MP status becomes invalid or for what reasons. It asserted that it had not rushed Pita’s case and maintained that its actions were in line with the established procedures. (NNT)
