Tsunami of poll suits

Tsunami of poll suits

The country's judicial system is set to be flooded with election-related court cases.

The embattled Election Commission (EC) has decided to get tough with its critics and people who they think have insulted the agency over its role in the controversial March 24 poll. The targeted activists include Sirawith "Ja New" Seritiwat, Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak, and some other big names.

The EC, which is led by Ittiporn Boonpracong, claimed some information against its seven members shared on social media amounted to fake news.

The EC was fuming about the attempt to impeach the seven members after it received overwhelming support from the public. The number of people who signed an online petition at change.org accelerated at an unprecedented pace.

The EC said such a bid, which has no legal effect, forced it to file defamation lawsuits, adding the move was a bid to protect the dignity of the commissioners.

Few if any believe resorting to litigation -- without first clearing up public doubts related to the fairness of the poll -- will help the poll agency extricate itself from the controversy.

In fact, the EC was suffering from what is known as a "credibility deficit" before the election.

The EC was already viewed with raised eyebrows by money due to the way it came into office with the approval of the coup-installed National Legislative Assembly (NLA). Its dubious performance, especially regarding a scandalous fund-raising event organised by the pro-regime Palang Pracharath Party, only served to deepen public distrust.

The public's faith in the agency was eroded terribly after the poll stations closed, with many questioning the EC's handling of the election.

One issue was its inexplicable delay in releasing the results of the ballot counts. Another was the abrupt increase in voter turnout, which jumped from 65% to 74% within a few days of the poll. The EC's vague explanation drew fierce condemnation.

Adding salt to the wound is the agency's confusing way of calculating party-list seats, which many parties deem unfair. The EC failed to clear the air and did not act quickly enough in certain cases.

At the same time, student activist Parit vowed yesterday to counter the EC's legal threat with a lawsuit of his own. Mr Parit, who is president of a student union, accused the agency of negligence, a punishable offence.

He said its handling of the poll, the country's first in eight years, was a disappointment.

The outspoken activist also promised to kick off a hashtag campaign today this week at Thammasat University pushing for the EC to be jailed.

As such, local courts are expected to see boisterous scenes from this week.

However, the EC should be aware that defamation lawsuits against its critics will not help the agency regain its credibility until it manages to clear up public suspicions over its alleged impartiality and malpractice.

The impeachment campaign may not have any legal results but it will certainly serve as a valid barometer of public sentiment in relation to the agency. Without public support, the EC can expect to face choppy waters ahead.

Editorial

Bangkok Post editorial column

These editorials represent Bangkok Post thoughts about current issues and situations.

Email : anchaleek@bangkokpost.co.th

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