Injunction sought against charter bills

Injunction sought against charter bills

The People's Alliance for Democracy will ask the Constitution Court to issue an injunction halting parliament's deliberation of three charter amendment bills, pending the court's ruling on a petition already filed against them, PAD spokesman Panthep Puapongpang said.

Chamlong Srimuang of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), right, and spokesman Panthep Puapongpang, hold a press conference on Monday to announce the PAD's decision to ask the Constitution Court to issue an injunction halting parliament's deliberation of three charter amendment bills. (Photo by Apichart Jinakul)

Mr Panthep said the decision to request the injunction was made at a meeting on Monday of core PAD members. The request will be submitted to the Constitution Court on Monday afternoon.

PAD earlier filed a petition with the Constitution Court against the three bills that seek to amend Section 68 of the constitution.

Mr Panthep said amending Section 68 as outlined in the draft legislation would curtail people's right to file a petition directly to the Constitution Court against actions suspected of violating the constitution. The bills would require that any petitions to the court must first be vetted by the Office of the Attorney General.

The amendment of Section 68, as proposed by the three bills, could lead to parliament's deliberation of another bill to amend Section 291, in its third reading. That bill has been stalled in parliament since the Constitution Court ruled that the entire constitution could not be rewritten in one go without a referendum, and suggested it be changed section by section instead.

If Section 291 was amended, it could pave the way for the amendment of the constitution in its entirety, not by sections, Mr Panthep said.

The PAD will ask the Constitution Court to issue an injunction against parliament's deliberation of the three bills, which are due to have a second reading, until the court has made a ruling on PAD's petition against them. The PAD want the MPs and senators who signed in support of the bills to withdraw from parliament.

The Constitution Court will also be asked to order the dissolution of Pheu Thai, Chartthaipattana, Chart Pattana, Palang Chon, Mahachon and the New Democracy parties for supporting the three bills and issuing statements rejecting the court's authority, he said.

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