Rulings to be sent to Council of State

EC to decide today on red-carding candidates

Rulings to be sent to Council of State

MONGKOL BANGPRAPA PRASIT TANGPRASERT

The Election Commission (EC) has only until today to issue red cards to errant winning candidates because of time constraints on the holding of by-elections. Election commissioner Sodsri Satayathum said yesterday decisions on red cards must be finalised today because the EC must send the decisions to the Council of State for consideration, which would take five working days.

Seeking the Council of State's opinion on winning candidates is compulsory, but the EC is not obligated to follow the council's suggestions.

The decision whether to issue winning candidates yellow cards, which allows them to contest the by-election, rests with the EC.

By-elections are set for Jan 13 and the EC does not have the luxury of time to hold a second round as it has to approve 95% of the 480 MPs within 30 days of election day, or by Jan 22.

The list must be sent to the Royal Household Bureau seven days prior to the opening of the parliamentary session. Parliament has to convene within 30 days of the election.

The EC considered 18 complaints yesterday leaving 19 more cases, EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said.

Of the 18 complaints considered, the EC decided to press charges in four cases and send a committee to investigate.

The first complaint was filed in Loei against three People Power party candidates for allegedly giving incentives with VCD and medical kits as evidence.

In the second case, three PPP candidates in Phetchabun were charged with giving money to voters and compiling a list of voters for the purpose of vote buying.

In the third case, Anchalee Wanish, a Democrat executive and the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO) chief, was charged with holding parties, vote buying and unfair use of power.

Thirteen cases were rejected including seven complaints against the PPP, one against the PPP and Puea Pandin, two against Chart Thai, three against the Democrats and one case was removed.

Election commissioner Somchai Jungprasert said Tuesday's decision to yellow card three PPP candidates was not unanimous as he opposed the ruling.

Prasert Chantraruangthong, Linda Cherdchai and Boonlert Krutkhuntod, who won in Nakhon Ratchasima's constituency 3, were yellow-carded after they were caught with cash and a list of eligible voters.

A complaint was also yesterday lodged with Khon Kaen police against PPP candidate Nawat Tocharoensuk for falsely advertising his education credentials.

Mr Nawat emerged as the first winner in constituency 1, which denied Puea Pandin leader Suvit Khunkitti a seat.