BANGKOK, Feb 24 – The ruling Pheu Thai Party has threatened to file charges with police against the Election Commission (EC) for refusing to protect people exercising their voting rights if it fails to organise new elections as required.
Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit was referring to an EC move to seek a Constitution Court ruling on whether it has the power to hold new elections in 28 southern constituencies since the government refused to issue a royal decree for the new elections.
The government insisted that the original royal decree, announced to declare the past general election on Feb 2, could apply to the new elections in unsuccessful constituencies.
Mr Prompong said the EC failed to perform its duty in organising new elections but passed the buck to the government and the Constitution Court.
Referring to an invitation by EC members Somchai Srisuthiyakorn for coalition parties in the caretaker government to visit Songkhla province for first-hand information, Mr Prompong said the EC was pushing the burden to the government.
“The EC may want invited members to be blockaded by protesters and claim again that new elections could not be held,” he said.
