If charter drafters or the Election Commission strongly oppose the new legislation governing MPs and senators the general election could be further delayed, the president of the National Legislative Assembly said on Thursday.
The assembly has already sent the bills on the election of MPs and the installation of senators to the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) and the Election Commission (EC) for consideration, Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said.
The NLA recently passed both bills, but the constitution required it to send them to both these agencies for scrutiny.
If they agreed with the content of the legislation, or wanted only slight changes, the NLA should not have any problem and could complete the process in time for an election in February next year.
If a major change was required, it could prompt the NLA to drop the bills. Besides, if some party asked the Constitutional Court for a ruling on the bills, that would also affect the election date, Mr Pornpetch said.
Last month the NLA delayed the enforcement of the organic bill on election of MPs for 90 days after its publication in the Royal Gazette. It said the delay was to give more time for political parties to prepare for the polls.
The delay prevents the general election being held in November this year, as Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had previously said it would be.