Election Commission to endorse 1st batch of MPs-elect

Election Commission to endorse 1st batch of MPs-elect

Officials recount votes at a polling station in Bung Kum district, Bangkok, on Sunday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)
Officials recount votes at a polling station in Bung Kum district, Bangkok, on Sunday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

The Election Commission (EC) is likely to endorse the first batch of MPs-elect this week, according to a source.

The Office of the EC has received reports from provincial poll directors and plans to forward partial election results to the six-member commission for approval on Tuesday, the source said.

This group of election winners, accounting for 70% of all candidates projected to win, faced no complaints, the source said, adding the authorities are expected to take their time with investigations into the rest of the candidates.

The source said the EC wants to endorse the results before the retirement of Commissioner Chatchai Chanpraisri, who is due to leave his post on June 28.

Under the current election rules, the EC has 60 days after an election to certify at least 95% of all winners.

However, the source said it is likely the EC may endorse all 500 MPs-elect closer to the deadline as several poll investigators have indicated they may not be able to wrap up investigations within 60 days.

In such a case, winners could be disqualified later if they were found to have violated election rules, the source said.

Meanwhile, poll officials on Sunday conducted a recount at 47 polling stations across 16 provinces.

The recount was ordered after the EC found the number of ballots did not match the number of people who turned out to vote.

While the number of votes received by candidates changed in the recount, the change was insignificant and did not affect the overall election result, according to officials.

In Bangkok, where the recount was ordered at six polling stations, Move Forward Party (MFP) candidates remained the winners even though the number of votes they received dropped.

Passarin Ruamwong, an MFP candidate for Bangkok’s Constituency 7, said she was satisfied with the result of the recount.

Ms Passarin received one less vote when compared with the original count, but overall she still won the election.

Thapanee Mahapatchara-arunmai, election director in Phetechaburi province, said the recount there was ordered at the sixth polling station because the number of party-list votes did not match that of those who cast votes.

The number of party-list votes there was 462 while the number of voters was 461.

Ms Thapanee said the numbers added up after the recount was conducted and the mistake was believed to be unintentional.

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