Red-shirts will take to the streets in huge numbers if the Constitution Court judges do not resign, no matter what their ruling is on the charter amendment bill, because they lack the legitimacy to remain in their positions, UDD leader Tida Tawornseth said on Friday.

Tida Tawornseth (Photo by Surapol Promsaka na Sakolnakorn)

Ms Tida, chair of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, was speaking at a press conference at the Imperial Lat Phrao department store.

She said it was only right that Judge Jaran Pakdithanakul had withdrawn from the court bench deliberating the constitutionality of the charter amendment bill.

"In fact, he should also resign as a judge of the court," she said.

Ms Tida said court president Wasan Soypisuth, along with judges Nurak Mapraneet and Supot Khaimuk, should also resign.

If the Constitution Court judges did not resign, between 300,000 and 400,000 red-shirt supporters would show up to let it be known that the entire panel of judges were not acceptable to them, regardless of what the court's final ruling on the charter amendment bill might be, she said.

Ms Tida, wife of Pheu Thai Party list MP Weng Tojirakarn, called for red-shirt supporters to download a form from the internet demanding the removal of the judges, fill it in and send it with a photocopy of their ID cards to the UDD.

All core members in every province, as well as ordinary red-shirts, must keep the situation under close watch.  If there were any untoward  move, such as to remove MPs or abolish the legislative or administrative branches, they must be on alert and wait for instructions to move, she said.

UDD spokesman Worawuth Wichaidit, who is a relative of Pheu Thai leader and Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit, said the group already had more than enough names to back a petition to seek the Constitution Court judges' removal, but up to one million names were needed to declare the current set of judges illegitimate.

Three more Constitution Court judges asked for permission to withdraw from the bench considering the constitutionality of the charter amendment bill on Friday, but their requests were turned down.

Court president Wasan Soypisuth said two judges - Supot Khaimuk and Nurak Mapraneet - asked to  withdraw because they were members of the committee that drafted the 2007 constitution.

The meeting of the court's judges rejected their requests, saying the fact that they were among the drafters of the 2007 charter did not justify their withdrawal from the case.

Mr Wasan said he had also sought permission to withdraw, because an audio clip of him commenting on the charter amendment had been posted on the YouTube social video site. The meeting of judges also rejected his request.

As a result, the Constitution Court resumed in session to hear witnesses defending the bill on the second day at 10am with eight judges on the bench. Judge Jaran yesterday received permission to withdraw.

Wasan Soypisuth (left), Supot Khaimuk (top right) and Nurak Mapraneet