Lawyers for Yingluck Shinawatra on Wednesday filed an objection to the decision by National Legislative Assembly (NLA) president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai to seek the impeachment of the former prime minister at a special meeting on Nov 12.
Lawyers representing Yingluck Shinawatra Wednesday submitted a letter protesting the National Legislative Assembly's planned meeting on impeachment proceedings against the former premier on Nov 12. (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)
Lawyer Norawit Lalaeng, accompanied by former Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit, submitted a letter to Mr Pornpetch at parliament opposing the assembly’s acceptance of the impeachment request. A parliamentary staffer received the letter on Mr Pornpetch’s behalf.
Mr Norawit argued that the charge related to limits on Ms Yingluck’s rights and freedoms and the 2014 interim charter did not include provisions for the impeachment of holders of political positions.
The NLA's meeting regulations also stipulated that assembly members had the authority to impeach politicians under the anti-corruption organic law.
Since Ms Yingluck was no longer prime minister, she did not meet the political office holders criteria stipulated in Section 58 of the National Anti-Corruption Act.
Section 58 authorises senators to impeach political office holders, and NLA members argue they must have the same authority now the Senate no longer exists.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has accused Ms Yingluck of dereliction of duty for failing to stop corruption and losses in her government's rice-pledging scheme, and asked the NLA to impeach her.
She chaired the National Rice Policy Committee when she was prime minister. If the NLA finds against her, Ms Yingluck will be banned from politics for five years.
Mr Pornpetch previously said the NLA believed it could still hear the charge even though the 2007 charter under which the charges were brought was abolished after the May 22 coup. The charge could still be brought under organic state administration and NACC laws, he said.
Mr Norawit asked the NLA to postpone the discussion. He argued the NACC was supposed to notify Ms Yingluck, but failed to do so, before sending the case to the NLA, which is to decide on Nov 12 if it will hear the impeachment case.