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EC seeks court ruling on poll re-run in Thai oppn stronghold

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Press Trust of India Bangkok
Last Updated : Mar 05 2014 | 5:22 PM IST
Thailand's Election Commission today said it has sought the Constitutional Court's ruling on whether it needs to nullify the disputed February 2 snap polls and order a re-run.
EC secretary-general Puchong Nutrawong said election commissioners met yesterday and signed a letter asking the Constitution Court on the poll which could not be completed in 28 constituencies in eight southern provinces, a stronghold of the country's main opposition Democrat Party.
Under Thailand's law, 95 per cent of the 500 seats in the lower house of parliament must be filled for a new government to be formed.
Nutrawong said the three issues on which the EC wants the court to rule include whether the EC could go ahead and announce candidacy registration and a new election date in the 28 constituencies.
The EC, in its second question, seeks to know whether it would need the issuance of a fresh royal decree for dissolution of the House of Representatives.
The third issue is whether, in case a new royal decree needs to be issued, the decree would allow the holding of elections in only the 28 constituencies or whether the royal decree can only declare new elections nationwide as the Constitution stipulates that the elections be held on the same day nationwide, Puchong said.

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He said the EC would abide by the Constitutional Court's ruling on these questions.
Meanwhile, the country's anti-graft body National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) today allowed the lawyer of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to review evidences against her in the controversial rice-pledging case.
The NACC has decided to charge Yingluck with negligence of duty for failing to stop the scheme from damaging the state.
Under the scheme, the farmers were promised a higher price for their rice, but thousands are yet to be paid after pledging the rice.
The lawyer had requested to review the evidences on behalf of Yingluck on the ground that it was not safe and convenient for the prime minister to go to the NACC office because of the ongoing protests against her government.

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First Published: Mar 05 2014 | 5:22 PM IST

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