Democrat MPs yesterday petitioned the Senate Speaker to revoke Somsak Kiatsuranont's status as an MP.
Red-shirt protesters gather in front of the Constitution Court to demand that the court’s nine judges cease performing their duties. THITI WANNAMONTHA
The call stemmed from allegations Mr Somsak, parliament's president, violated the constitution and meeting regulations during a joint sitting of parliament to deliberate three charter amendment bills on April 1-4.
The petition was signed by 128 Democrat MPs, led by Thaworn Senneam and Wirat Kalayasiri, and cited Section 270 of the constitution.
It was submitted to Senate Speaker Nikhom Wairatpanich via Surachai Liangboonlertchai, the first deputy Senate speaker.
In the petition, the Democrats said Mr Somsak called for the vote on the first reading of the three charter bills despite protests by the opposition that they still had eight hours left to debate the issue. They also said more than 10 MPs were still waiting for a chance to speak.
Such a call was in violation of sections 125 and 137 of the constitution and items 47 and 45 of parliamentary meeting regulations, they said.
After the vote, Mr Somsak also ordered that scrutiny of the bills be completed within 15 days, even though at that time the meeting was short of a quorum and the Democrats had called for the scrutiny period to be 60 days.
Mr Surachai accepted the petition. He said it will be sent to the Secretariat of the House of Representatives to verify the names of the people supporting it and then returned to the Secretariat of the Senate. It will then be forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for consideration. The whole process will be completed in 15 days, he said.
If the petition is found to have grounds, the NACC will send it back to the Senate to begin the impeachment process, Mr Surachai said.
Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit yesterday said the Democrat Party must stop pressuring Mr Somsak. As head of the legislative branch, Mr Somsak deserves respect, he said, though he acknowledged the Democrats' right to impeach him.
Meanwhile, a protest by about 200 red shirts in front of the Constitution Court ran into its third day yesterday. The group is demanding the court's nine judges stop performing their duties.
They were led by Pongpisit Kongsena, or Lek Bandon, who heads the operators of "radio stations for democracy".
Mr Pongpisit claims the judges have misused their authority and are infringing on executive matters, causing problems for the government.
The protesters will go to the Budget Bureau today to submit a letter asking it to freeze the judges' salaries, he said.
The protesters are also seeking to compile a 20,000-name petition, which they will submit to the NACC asking it to remove the judges.
Pol Maj Gen Parinya Chansuriya, deputy metropolitan police chief, said that about 150 police officers have been deployed at the court to maintain law and order.
The judges have not asked for additional police protection, he said.
Pheu Thai Party MP for Kalasin Prasert Boonruang said Pheu Thai MPs were determined to impeach the judges.
However, Jarun Pukditanakul, one of the judges, said the court did not wield much power or influence beyond its legal boundaries.