BANGKOK, Nov 22 – The ruling Pheu Thai Party has rejected the Constitution Court’s verdict on the charter amendment and plans to remove six of the nine judges who voted for the judgement.
Pheu Thai leader Charupong Ruangsuwan met urgently with party executives yesterday to discuss the court’s verdict which ruled that the government MPs and senators breached the charter in passing a bill to change the composition of the Senate.
The current Senate is composed of elected and appointed senators but Parliament passed a bill which, if promulgated, will require all elected members for the Upper House.
Mr Charupong said the charter change, proposed by 312 MPs and senators, was in accordance with democratic principles and said that the lawmakers followed the 1997 people-initiated constitution.
He said Section 291 of the Constitution clearly states that the power to amend the charter belongs to Parliament.
He said the bill, which was passed by the Lower and Upper Houses, was submitted to His Majesty the King for royal endorsement within 90 days.
The Constitution Court does not have the right to infringe on the right of the legislative branch and its Wednesday ruling on charter amendment has affected His Majesty’s power, said Mr Charupong.
