Censure debate put on House agenda

Censure debate put on House agenda

House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon has agreed to put the opposition's motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan on the House agenda for debate.

He also asked the Democrat Party to hand over to him a copy of the impeachment motion submitted to the anti-graft agency by Nov 25, claiming that without that advance information he would not be to properly control and supervise the debate.

Mr Somsak earlier refused to put the censure motion on the House agenda after it was submitted to him, saying the opposition did not attach details of the impeachment petition simultaneously filed against Ms Yingluck and Mr Charupong with the National Anti-Corruption Commission as part of standard procedure.

Without the impeachment details, the chairman of the House debate meeting would know what each debator would talk about, he added.

He said that after assessing the present political situation, he had decided today to put the censure motion on the House agenda.

The opposition was still required to hand over copies of the impeachment details by Monday. 

Mr Somsak said government and opposition whips must now decide on the days for the censure debate, which must be before Nov 28, the last day of the parliamentary session.

He said Ms Yingluck would definitely be in the parliament chamber during the grilling. However, ministers assigned by her to handle certain responsibilities can be asked to make explanations on her behalf.

On the NACC's decision to accept for consideration a petition filed against him and other lawmakers who proposed the charter amendment on the makeup of the Senate, since ruled unconstitutional, Mr Somsak said he would call a meeting of parliamentary legal staff who may be assigned to explain to the NACC on his behalf.

He insisted he had complied with the constitution and regulations in his handling of the charter change debate. The court ruled he wrongly cut it short and denied many MPs the chance to speak on the bill.

Mr Somsak said he still doubted whether the Consitution Court had the power to accept for consideration the petitions against the legality of the charter change bill and the amendment procedures, despite the ruling of the Constitution Court bench.

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