The Election Commission (EC) has affirmed it will not bow to possible requests from those in power when redrawing constituencies but declined to say when it will be done.
EC president Ittiporn Boongpracong was responding on Monday to speculation of possible gerrymandering and an election delay from Feb 24 next year following the No.16/2561 order issued by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Friday.
Mr Ittiporn explained the EC had earlier issued a regulation on redrawing constituency boundaries, requiring it to announce the new constituencies in the Royal Gazette by Nov 10. The official deadline set by an earlier NCPO order requires the process to be done before Dec 11.
“We were done considering them on Nov 5 and were reviewing them for the last time before it was to be announced in the Royal Gazette when I had to have an eye surgery,” he said.
He explained the delay was possible as the EC regulation allowed for it.
However, Mr Ittiporn declined to answer whether the nearly-finished constituency map had to be redone or to comment on the NCPO order, saying he had to seek an EC resolution first.
In any case, he dismissed the concern those in power might ask the EC to change the constituency boundaries. “We’ll comply with related laws and will finish the job by the deadline. After all, the order explicitly says the EC has to do the job by the criteria defined by laws.”
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Monday the order was issued to protect the EC from malfeasance since its own order required it to finish redrawing the constituencies by Nov 11.
“Besides, the EC president was not well and other commissioners had different opinions on the redrawn map, further delaying the process," he said.
He added numerous complaints had been filed by both political parties and individuals about the constituency boundaries with the NCPO and the EC.
The deputy prime minister also confirmed the order would not result in a delay of the Feb 24 election date.
Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, as the NCPO's chief, used his special powers to issue the order on Friday, giving the EC the mandate to do what is necessary, including ruling on complaints arising from public hearings, to make sure the redrawing of all 350 constituencies is done before Dec 11.
Since primary votes can be held only when constituency boundaries are clear, the order also allows parties to screen their candidates until the MP application begins, the date of which has not yet been announced.
The order fuelled speculation of gerrymandering because a few days before the order was issued, the EC said the redrawing was almost done and would be announced in a few days, calling into question the need for the order at this point.