The Election Commission (EC) has come under fire for its plan to seek compensation for the waste of state funds in the voided Feb 2 poll, with critics saying the commission itself should share the blame.
Democrat Party deputy leader Nipit Intarasombat said it is the EC who should be held responsible for the 3.8-billion-baht spent on holding the elections.
"If the EC had refused to hold the elections, the damage would have been avoided. It was aware the elections would eventually be nullified, yet it went ahead," he said.
According to Mr Nipit, the EC disagreed with the Yingluck government over the elections, so it should have taken the issue to the charter court for a ruling.
He said he thinks the EC is in the wrong more than the Yingluck government, and if a lawsuit is to be filed, the EC should be a co-defendant.
Moreover, the EC is an independent public agency and its explanation the government "forced its hand" to organise the elections is implausible, the Democrat deputy leader said.
"I am confident the defendant who will have to pay compensation is the EC, not the [Yingluck] government. And I can guarantee that at the end of the day, the EC won't sue anyone," he said.
His remarks were in response to EC member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, who said on Sunday the agency is collecting evidence to back up the planned lawsuit. Mr Somchai said the Yingluck administration ignored the EC's warning and pressed on with elections that were later nullified by the Constitutional Court.
Worachai Hema, a former Pheu Thai MP and a red-shirt leader, blamed the anti-government protests for the collapse of the Feb 2 poll along with the EC.
He said the People's Democratic Reform Committee led by Suthep Thaugsuban initiated the campaign to derail the poll while the EC let them get away with it.
According to Mr Worachai, the EC's job was to ensure a smooth election, but it failed in its duty. It should have asked the military to step up security for election candidates and voters.
"I believe the EC is responsible for the collapse of the election. It failed to do what it was supposed to do, while it did what it was not authorised to," he said.
Mr Worachai said if the EC had performed its job, the May 22 coup would not have taken place.
"The EC should pay part of the compensation. It took state funds but was too incompetent to get the job done," he said.
Pheu Thai member and former deputy prime minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said the EC was solely responsible for the voided election.
"The EC shouldn't go and find someone else to take responsibility. Don't pass the buck. It could have asked state agencies for support in organising the polls. But it didn't," he said.