There will definitely not be an extraordinary session of the Senate on April 18 as earlier scheduled because caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had not proposed a draft royal decree for the opening of the session, Deputy Senate Speaker Surachai Liangboonlertchai said on Wednesday.
Mr Surachai, who is now acting senate speaker, said this is due to a dispute over who has the authority to reconvene the Senate to discuss an impeachment petition.
Mr Surachai and the cabinet secretariat are at odds over who has the power to reconvene the upper house after the House was dissolved and a partial senate election.
Citing the Council of State's advice, the cabinet secretariat says the authority rests with the parliament president. Former house speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon's role as ex-officio parliament president, however, ended when the House was dissolved.
Nikhom Wairatpanich, the senate speaker and deputy parliament president, has been suspended from duty as impeachment proceedings against him are underway after being found by the Constitutional Court to have breached the constitution over a bill to change the composition of the Senate.
Mr Surachai admitted that the problem over the Senate not being able to reconvene within 20 days of the senate election would affect the work schedule of the upper house.
"The opening of the Senate's extraordinary session can be done under Section 132 of the constitution when it is necessary to appoint a regent or members of organisations set up under the constitution, and to consider impeachment petitions. This is required to be carried out with urgency in the interests of the state," Mr Surachai said.
The opening of the Senate meeting is crucial because if the charter court rules against Ms Yingluck, the burden of selecting a new prime minister might fall to the Senate — although whether that will happen is still debatable.
Concerning this matter, sources said the Senate Secretariat had proposed April 24 for the opening of the Senate meeting instead of April 18.